I've been exploring Photoshop more and I'm curious—what's one feature, tool, or shortcut that has made the biggest difference in your workflow?For example:Generative Fill Smart Objects Adjustment Layers Actions Camera Raw Filter Blend Modes Content-Aware tools Pen Tool Remove Tool Neural FiltersWhat's your go-to feature, and why do you think more people should use it? I'd love to discover some hidden gems from experienced Photoshop users.

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Question

What's your favorite Photoshop feature that most people overlook?

Forum|Forum|9 days ago
August 3, 2026
6 replies
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I've been exploring Photoshop more and I'm curious—what's one feature, tool, or shortcut that has made the biggest difference in your workflow?

For example:

Generative Fill
Smart Objects
Adjustment Layers
Actions
Camera Raw Filter
Blend Modes
Content-Aware tools
Pen Tool
Remove Tool
Neural Filters

What's your go-to feature, and why do you think more people should use it? I'd love to discover some hidden gems from experienced Photoshop users.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

But the question was “...that most people overlook”, and then my answer would be Blend If.

Blend if is a good one; in the continued absence of Smart Layer Masks it enables work-arounds for Masks that utilise Adjustment Layers and Smart Filters.

As for Smart Objects – even after 20 years of Smart Objects existing in Photoshop I am not quite sure how many Photoshop users use them efficiently … but maybe I am just being pessimistic.

davescm

Community Expert

I agree with c.pfaffenbichler regarding Smart Objects.
As for a regularly used ‘hidden’ feature, either:
Shift+Ctrl+Alt+T repeat last transform with duplicate layer
or
Shift Ctrl+Alt+E stamp visible

Dave

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

Smart Objects
Smart Objects
Smart Objects

Smart Objects and Smart Filters were huge improvements in nondestructive working.

With »Clarity and Dehaze« it seems Filter Layers have stepped onto the Photoshop stage so Smart Filters may become less important in the future but Smart Objects will, I assume, stay relevant for stuff like

• nondestructive transformations

• multiple instances in one file

• linked instances in multiple files

• combining images in different color spaces and color modes

Blend Modes

Linear Light (for noise and structure Patterns) and Hard Mix (for artistic and halftone effects) seem particularly noteworthy to me.

Scripting

I have not been able to familiarise myself with UXP Scripting but so far ESTK Scripting still works and allows for useful automation – but for newcomers it would naturally seem preferable to start out with UXP Scripting right away.

Srishti Bali

Community Manager

Hi @tomcarry0

Great question! All of the features you've listed are fantastic and are absolutely essential in Photoshop’s day-to-day workflows. I'd also be interested to hear what others think.

Personally, I think the Remove tool has seen some really impressive improvements recently. You can learn more about the latest enhancements here:
https://adobe.ly/3TA18yS

Also, I would like to add Harmonize to your list.

Thanks, Srishti Bali | Community & Engagement Strategist, Digital Imaging | Adobe

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

Personally, I think the Remove tool has seen some really impressive improvements recently.

I suspect the Remove Tool may be the one AI implementation that even (edit: some of) the people who don’t want to use AI in Photoshop have a hard time avoiding.

D Fosse

Community Expert

@c.pfaffenbichler

Not hard to avoid - but perhaps easily overlooked if you don’t know:

As for the original question, obviously smart objects, probably the most potent function in all of Photoshop. We all agree on that. But the question was “...that most people overlook”, and then my answer would be Blend If.

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