Can I Have a Thumbnail View (Small Preview Box)?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
February 13, 2018
3 replies
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Is there a way to have a real-time updating preview box (or thumbnail view) so that while I'm zoomed in, I can see how what I'm working on looks at its full view? Does any tool like this exist in Photoshop?

This question is probably confusing, so what I'm talking about is this kind of feature that exists in Paint called the Thumbnail View:

Paint Tool Sai also has this feature:

I ask because I'm working on some pixel art and it's really annoying to have to keep hitting Ctrl+1 whenever I want to see it at its full size, then have to zoom all the way back in to get back to work. It seems like a no-brainer for Photoshop to have this feature, but I can't find it. It's also a hard topic to search for since "Thumbnail View" in Photoshop usually refers to layer thumbnails or file icons.

thumbnail view

Correct answer JJMack

Size the navigator panel any size you want

Jeff Arola

Community Expert

You can also make a new mirror copy of the document by going to Window>Arrange>New Window (name of the document)

Then undock the window, resize it and put anywhere on the screen.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

Yep, that's a good addition Jeff. Michael Ninness covered this and much much more in his Power Shortcuts workshop at MAX in 2013. That was a bit of a game changer for me, and I still use a lot of those UI / Workspace shortcuts. In fact they have become more relevant since then because of the Customizable Toolbar, and the ability to save it all to Custom workspaces.

As a for instance, Michael suggests

Ctrl Alt T.............Tile Windows Vertically

Ctrl Alt F.............Float All in Windows

Shift Ctrl Alt T.....Consolidate All to Tabs

But this prevents Free Transform Step & Repeat working. So I save all the Power Shortcuts with my default multi monitor workspace, and use Essentials when I need Step & Repeat.

gener7

Community Expert

I'll toss in the "Bird's Eye View", because Photoshop is that cool. Hold down the H key when you are zoomed in and press the mouse button. Your picture zooms out with a marquee that you can move to another part. Release the button and you are zoomed in again.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

Nothing to add here. Two spot on replies that cover it all. Plus I think I have learned some new terminology in 'Bird's Eye View' unless Gene made that up