We’re excited to announce that new contextual task bars are now available in Photoshop Public Beta. We know that finding the right tool, at the right time, can sometimes slow down a great workflow. Our new contextually aware task bars aim to help by providing common tools, actions and next steps right on the canvas where you’re working. We are currently launching five bars for importing new documents, making selections and using the Type Tool. Learn more below:
Open Image or File
- This bar will appear when you open an image or file in Photoshop (i.e. not a new, empty document)
New Document Workflow
- This bar will appear if you open a new, blank document from the Photoshop home screen
- If you choose to select “import image”, your image will be placed in the document as a Smart Object and the Free Transform bar will appear to help finalize placement
Type Tool Workflow
- This bar will appear when you select the Type tool from the tool bar and draw a text box on the canvas
Selections Workflow
- Once a selection is made, a selection edit bar will appear with options to refine the selection or create a mask
Tips and Other Menu Functionality
- Pin bar position
- You can pin and un-pin any bar from the “more menu”. Pinning will hold your bar (and all subsequent bars) where it was placed on the canvas until un-pinned from the “more menu” performed
- Reset bar position
- The context bar moves with you as you work on the canvas, keeping relevant tools at your finger tips. If you would like to reset the position, you can do so from the “more menu”
- Hide bar
- You can always hide the bar if you’d like to remove it completely, or temporarily, from the canvas. If you’d like to re-open the bar at any point, go to Window > Contextual Task Bar
We need your feedback!
Please let us know what you think and how we could improve the new Contextual Task Bar.
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Replies
I don't even know what this is called, it's some kind of contextual floating toolbar that's just appeared suddenly, and I'm finding it really annoying.
How do I get rid of it? When I chose "pin" it only stays pinned for that document session, it keeps reverting to floating around, so, I'd just like to remove it completely.
It's honestly really quite useful if you give it some time. As its name suggests, it is context sensitive, and changes according what tool or function you are currently using. That can be a real time saver. Yes it can be annoying, but it doesn't have to be.
When you click Mr Dog's three dots you'll see that one of the options is to Pin bar position. That is a bit misleading as you can still move it with the mouse to get it out of the way, but it won't follow the selection position as it does when unpinned.
To get it back, go to the bottom of the Window menu. Give it a chance, and I think you might grow to like it.
most of the time i'm using photoshop for painting not for photo editing ( only occasionally )
and the new Contextual taskbar cover part of my paint at the bottom side
(which is annoying to me to have to pans everytime just to paint that small covred part )
you would say "then move it away" , well i did move the bar to top side
and i " Pin it " , thats good enough but here is the issue :
everytime i close photoshop and open it again : it back to the default position "to the bottom side" very annoying,
we need a premement solution to keep the Contextual taskbar ( in the position we decide for it )
system : windows 10 x64
photoshop version : 2023 - v24.5.0.500
You can go to Window and uncheck Contextual Task Bar.
Then you shouldn't see it again unless you go back and enable it again.
As a feature it's fine but the problem is with it floating about (I often pin but limited effectiveness) it is quite distracting. If I could lock it into place like you can with other panels such as Layers it would be still functional without being disruptive. It's like someone constantly shoving sticky-notes in your face when you're trying to concentrate.
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