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M
MGB Mike
Known Participant
March 16, 2021
Question

Open a PSD file in another

  • March 16, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 2033 views

Sometimes while working on an image, I want to use components of another image.  I drag the PSD file onto the desk top.  It appears in the layers side panel, but I don't know how to expand/extract the individual images (layers) it contains.  Is this not possible?  I've a ttached an image.  Can I expand the first file to see the layers?

 

Mike

 

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2 replies

Phil Pickering
Phil Pickering
Legend
March 16, 2021

Not sure if this is the only technique to do this (highly unlikely), but this is the way I'd do it:

 

1. Open both .psd files in the Photoshop Elements Editor.

2. From the Photo Bin, click on the first .psd.

3. Highlight the layers in the first .psd that you want to use in the second .psd. Use Ctrl+click (or Cmd+click on macOS) to select multiple layers.

4. From the main menu choose Layers > Duplicate Layer(s)...

5. In the Duplicate Set (or Duplicate Layer if just one layer selected) dialog window use the drop-down menu under Destination to choose the name of the second .psd, and click OK.

6. Open the second .psd from the Photo Bin, and the layers that you selected should now be there in the Layers panel.

 

Here's the relevant part in the Photoshop Elements User Guide:

 

Copy and arrange layers in Photoshop Elements

    M
    MGB MikeAuthor
    Known Participant
    March 16, 2021

    Thank you,  I'll have to read through this carefully and give it a go.

     

    Mike

      M
      MGB MikeAuthor
      Known Participant
      March 16, 2021

      PS.  I'm using Elements 20

      hatstead
      hatstead
      Inspiring
      March 16, 2021

      I opened the attachment but it is so tiny that the details remain cryptic. It's best to insert an image into the reply box here on the forum via the "Insert Image" icon at the top.

      If you have successfully dragged or copied/pasted an image above the background layer, activate the move tool and try to grab the corner handles in the bounding box to expand it  ---  pull out from the corner.

      If this is not what you need, please explain more artfully.

      M
      MGB MikeAuthor
      Known Participant
      March 16, 2021

      I created the image just to illustrate the problem/question.  The top file in the layers section is a psd file and I want to expand the layers for use in the image.  Hopefully that explains it.  Thanks for reaching out.

       

      MGB

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