Inspiring

Question

Selection Brush tool Elements 2024

Forum|Forum|4 months ago
December 25, 2025
3 replies
299 views

When I select the Selection Brush tool then below the screen I have the options to set size, hardness and selection.

When I click on the Brush Preset Picker then I see the hard brush as the default

I like to select the soft Brush. That seems to be not possible.

Am I doing something wrong?

Greg_S.

Community Expert

It is possible to use a soft brush with the Selection Tool. But what exactly are you trying to do with it? You can reduce the hardness of the selection brush by reducing the Hardness slider.

In the following screenshot, I am using the Selection Brush and have chosen a 9 px hard brush from the brush picker. I then increased the size of the brush to 57 px using the Size slider. I then made 3 selections, changing the Hardness slider to settings of 100%, 50% and 9%. As you can see, all that changes is the number of pixels that are selected. (The thumbnail of the brush in the picker also changes to match the hardness/softness settings.)

6762025.12.26.png

V

VartialaAuthor

Inspiring

Oh, yes I see it now. I simply can use the Hardness slider. That is what I am looking for. Normally I open the Picker and select a Soft brush and then manipulate the size. But selecting a brush on that way does not work when the Selection Brush Tool is chosen. But it works your way too.

When I have made a photo of the sunset with a big meadow from the horizon to the foreground then mostly the meadow is black when and I make sure that the sky exposure is okay. Then I use the selection Brush tool to select only the meadow. Then Enhance-Auto Smart Fix. You then get the sunset colors unchanged, now have the meadow a bit visible but with the Hardness of 100% then there is a strong contrast at the horizon. That's why I was trying to select a soft brush from the picker.

Glenn 8675309

Legend

Open any image. Select a brush, one of the soft brushes. Exit the program.

The next time you open the program it will select whatever brush you last had selected.

Are you saying that deosn't happen?

V

VartialaAuthor

Inspiring

As I replied above, I could open the Brush Preset Picker after I had clicked on the Selection Brush Tool

But a selected Soft Round brush from the Picker did not replace the current hard round brush.

Btw a Soft Round brush does work with for example the Eraser tool.

So I think that choosing a soft brush is not allowed with the Selection Brush Tool activated?

Greg_S.

Community Expert

Try dragging the top right-hand corner of the Brush Preset Picker to extend the panel. Are you then able to see the soft brushes?

6742025.12.25_multi.png

If that doesn't work, try resetting the brush tool by clicking on the 3 dots at the right side of the tool options panel. This will open a dropdown menu.

V

VartialaAuthor

Inspiring

Sorry Greg, I was not complete in my description.

I could open the Selection Brush Tool. That was not the problem

See my response to Glenn 8675309 below

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