Cant put unsharp mask on new layer

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
February 14, 2025
2 replies
834 views

Never seen this before, any ideas? I do notice the new layer indents to the left of the adjument layers above. Usallly they have been flush. Otherwise clueless, never had issue before, thanks.

macOS

Correct answer Bojan Živković11378569

You cannot now use a filter on an empty layer because there are no pixels to modify. Adjustment layers do not contain any data or pixels, so you cannot apply a filter to them. If you want non-destructive sharpening, select all layers in the Layers panel and convert them to a Smart Object, or convert the Background layer to a Smart Object, then apply sharpening to the Smart Object.

L

larry45Author

Inspiring

Thanks it's this

Then add a new layers and it's this

I could move that new layer to top or wherever, but still that that cannot complete the unsharp mask becuase has no content.

Ah, do have to do a merge visible first of all layers.. maybe rusty..

Pity they dont have some feature to just let that new layer, some button, ,so PS knows you want everything or at least the layer right below to sharpen.

Or better an unsharp mask adjustment layer above that effects what have below...

Conrad_C

Community Expert

Yeah, there are a number of applications that let you insert an effect as a layer similar to an adjustment layer, affecting all layers below. Adobe has some apps that can do it (such as Premiere Pro) and some photo editors from other companies can do it…but oddly, Photoshop is not one of those apps.

In Photohsop, Smart Objects is the workaround for this. Not perfect, just a workaround.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

Sorry for delay. jUst used smart object. Never used them before. I've always done in past, merge visible at top and put unsharp mask there. I think smart object (coverting the background) is even quicker/elegant. I now have a layer below the bg called smart filter and below that called unsharp mask. The UM turns on and off, and even when you double click it - can change settings. So far seem like an easier way than merge visible at top.

Question:

I see disable smart filters, deltee filter mask, clear filters. Even if persist, delete smart filter.. yet oddly even after delete smart filer. I see that tell tell smart filter icon in the bg layer still -- you know the white page icon lower right with top right of page dog earled down. That never goes away?

Ah.. maybe scenarious where you want all the layers merged before sharpeing...... my adjustment layers are usually level for exposure, and color balance.. or not really.. U Mask on background would always be ok?

Also: Cannot add a mask to the U mask in smart object? (sometimes one like to paint out the sharpness in part of image)

@larry45 wrote:

yet oddly even after delete smart filer. I see that tell tell smart filter icon in the bg layer still -- you know the white page icon lower right with top right of page dog earled down. That never goes away?

Smart objects (embedd or linked) are not the same thing as a smart filter, so removing the smart filter (which is dependent on a smart object) doesn't undo the smart object. The smart object is the parent, the smart filter is the child. You can convert an embedded smart object layer back to a normal layer, which will become a group containing the various elements applied “inside” to the edited embedded smart object.

https://helpx.adobe.com/au/photoshop/using/create-smart-objects.html