P: Shortcut for "Open as Layers in Photoshop..."

[IMS 5 Paul]

I use the "Open as Layers in Photoshop..." command often in my work. I deal with a high volume of product photos, and it would be great if I was able to have a shortcut for this command.  It would also be great if I could select a lot of photos and have them open as layers into seperate files based on the stacks. (not 1 photoshop file with all the layers, but instead several photoshop files, 1 for each stack)

It would be great to see these improvements in future versions. Thank you for considering.

[johnrellis]

While waiting for Adobe to implement this: On Mac, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to Open As Layers using System Preferences. On Windows, you could use the free and widely used Autohotkey utility.

[Ian Lyons]

Following up on John's suggestion re using the Utility in macOS System Preferences you might find this tutorial helpful.

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_keyboard/lightroom-keyboard.htm

It was originally written back in the days of Lightroom 2, but was recently updated to include Big Sur screenshots

[IMS 5 Paul]

Thank you both. Hopefully Adobe puts this into the app, but I will use these workarounds for now. Thank you!

[Cora5EE6]

When will Adobe finally implement a shortcut to use "open in Photoshop as layers" in Lightroom???

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Note: KBSC for Open As Smart Object in Photoshop is now available.

Greetings all,

Updates for Adobe Photography products have been released.  The April 2023 updates have implemented this feature request. Please see the product for more details.

If you do not see the update in your Creative Cloud Application, you can refresh it by hitting [Ctrl/Cmd]+[Alt/Opt]+[ R ].

Note: It may take up to 24 hours for your update to be available in your Creative Cloud app.

Thank you for your patience.

[Cora5EE6]

Hello Rikk,
thank you for your information.
What is the keyboard shortcut in Lightroom to open images in Photoshop as layers???

Best regards,
Cora

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

[Ctrl]+[Alt] +[ X ] on Windows

If you go to Photos>Edit in> It will show you the shortcut for your system.

[johnrellistest]

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@Rikk Flohr: Photography, LR 12.3 adds the shortcut Cmd Opt X / Ctrl Alt X for Open As Smart Object In Photoshop, not for Open As Layers In Photoshop (this feature request):

There still isn't a shortcut for Open As Layers In Photoshop defined in TranslatedStrings, so I think this feature request should be unmarked as Released.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Updating status

[Cora5EE6]

Hi Rikk,
yes, please do all you can to finally implement a keyboard-shortcut in Lightroom CC, which is important for me and many colleagues, to open multiple images in Photoshop as layers. This would really improve our daily work.

Thank you in advance,
Cora

[SerjioK]

Since LrC 12.3 there is no way to launch "Open as Layers in Photoshop" function via the keyboard alt shortcut.

On Windows I could hit Alt + P and then "E" - for "Edit in" and then "OO" for "Open as Layers" option. (Alt + P E O O) Now the macros doesn't work anymore, since Adobe changed the position of the "Open as Layers in Photoshop" in menu. Now this shortcut activates "Open as samrt object in photoshop"

Please return the shortcut back, or make it available through Alt shortcut.

[johnrellis]

[This post contains formatting and embedded images that don't appear in email. View the post in your Web browser.]

"On Windows I could hit Alt + P and then "E" - for "Edit in" and then "OO" for "Open as Layers" option. (Alt + P E O O) Now the macros doesn't work anymore, since Adobe changed the position of the "Open as Layers in Photoshop" in menu."

The change in behavior was caused by LR 12.3 explicitly setting the command "Open as Smart Object in Photoshop..." to use O as the accelerator key.  Adobe hasn't paid much attention to getting good accelerator keys.

While waiting for Adobe to change this (which might never occur),  you can change the accelerator keys by editing the TranslatedStrings files. For example, to change the accelerator for "Open as Layers in Photoshop..." to L, add this exact line (including the quotes) to the TranslatedStrings file:

"$$$/AgEditExternally/MenuCommand/ContextMenu/openAsLayers=Open as &Layers in Photoshop..."

Now you can invoke the command by typing Alt P E L. 

Note that if you're running LR in another language, that line should have that language's translation for the command.

See here for the grotty details of editing TranslatedStrings:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/custom-keyboard-shortcuts/

[Nathan REP]

Additionally, using Windows 10 Lightroom Classic 12.3, the accelerator key (underline in menu) is now missing for "Open as Layers in Photoshop" in the "Photo >> Edit In" sub menu. This used to be "O" so that you could press "O" twice on your keyboard to get to that submenu item. The full shortcut was to press ALT+P, then E, then O and then O again. Also, the original request by the original poster is not addressed (to have a shortcut to open as layers in PS). The reply by Rikk Flohr Apr 18, 2023 addresses Smart Objects, not open as layers.

[David Epperly]

I really want alt + PEOO back. Not a replacement. 

[shayb68441784]

I found another way to shortcut "Open as Layers in Photoshop" on my Windows PC, sine Adobe eliminated the old way unfortunately. You can use Alt+P+E+↑+Enter.

That's Alt, P, E, Up Arrow, Enter. Works perfect and one less key than the old way of Alt+P+E+O+O

[shayb68441784]

Sorry for the typo, should have read "since" instead of "sine". Completely asinine that we can't edit our own replies!!!!!!!!

[David Epperly]

Very Nice! I think I can get used to this. 

[Nerosetsfire]

Amazing that this works, but I'm wondering if you could help me a little extra. I'm trying to get your keyboard shortcut to work with MIDI2LR, but in that program I can only use 1 shortcut at a time. To use multiple shortcuts I need to add commands, but I don't see a way to add commands that would = Alt, P, E, Up Arrow, Enter   any suggestions?

[shayb68441784]

Sorry, I have no clue how to program your Midi for this.

[johnrellis]

"I'm trying to get your keyboard shortcut to work with MIDI2LR, but in that program I can only use 1 shortcut at a time. To use multiple shortcuts I need to add commands, but I don't see a way to add commands that would = Alt, P, E, Up Arrow, Enter"

A couple thoughts:

1. Post on the MIDI2LR discussion forum:

https://rsjaffe.github.io/MIDI2LR/ 

2. A Rube Goldberg approach: Use the free Autohotkey utility to assign a shortcut to the Open As Layers In Photoshop menu item.  Then configure MIDI2LR to send that single keystroke.  Autohotkey is widely used and robust but more than a little obscure. You could download a trial copy of the Copy Settings plugin and model your Autohotkey config based on the file Copy-Settings-Keyboard-Shortcut.ahk  in the Copy Settings plugin folder.

[scottb3130747]

LR 12.3 screwed up my macro to open as layers in PS. That macro was still not working in 12.4

I have created a new macro in my Wacom tablet "ExpressKey settings". See the attached screen shot.

[johnrellis]

Try this Windows accelerator key sequence:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-ideas/p-shortcut-for-quot-open-as-layers-in-photosh...

[Dan McKinney]

I use my little Koolertron keyboard for programming macros like this - easy to program in the sequence Alt+P, E, up arrow, Enter. One click per stack, and they open as layers in PS like a charm!

[sherryrobs]

I am trying to focus stack images using LR and PS, according to tutorials on Adobe website.

I have the Adobe Photography subscription with LR and PS. I just updated my LR. I work on a MacBook with Ventura operating system.

Viewing my photo grid in LR,  a single photo will give me the option to edit in Photoshop, but if I select more than one photo, that option is greyed out. I cannot find any option to open as layers in Photoshop. 

Is this feature still missing? Is there a workaround?

Thank you for any assistance. This is terribly frustrating.

Sherry

[SeanMcCormack]

It's in the Photo> Edit In.. menu down the bottom of the menu.