Disable smart objects nonsense.

Forum|Forum|8 months ago
May 8, 2025
3 replies
1052 views

I don't need smart objects for anything, ever. How can I turn it off for good? Thanks for any help.

Windows

Correct answer Bojan Živković11378569

Do you mean when placing images? Go to Preferences > General and uncheck Always Create Smart Objects when Placing.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

@Chris3000 – Did the reply from @Bojan Živković11378569 solve your problem? @Trevor.Dennis makes good points (or would like to) as a case for using Smart Objects for certain situations. We do understand that there are pros/cons.

C

Chris3000Author

Known Participant

It's just an annoyance that Adobe has users conviced is convenient. If I add a layer to an image, I might need to edit that layer, yes?

Bojan Živković11378569Correct answer

Community Expert

Do you mean when placing images? Go to Preferences > General and uncheck Always Create Smart Objects when Placing.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

Yes, Bojan. I didn't think of that aspect. I can imagine that being annoying for someone not used to them because of the limitations of non-raster layers. There was a recent thread talking about the Healing brush, for instance, but if you set it to sample all layers and work on a new layer above the SO, you get past that issue and maintain the non-destructive advantages of them.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

@Chris3000 have you read about how they work and the advantages they have? After selections and masks, they might be Photoshop's most important feature, so please give them a chance to grow on you.

If you really can't abide seeing them in your UI, then you can remove them from some menus like this.

Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts

Menu For: Application Menus

Scroll down to and expand Layer

Continue scrolling down to Smart Objects and click to remove the Eye icon

If you turn off the one I have highlighted, then all Smart Object functions will no longer appear on that menu.

I am not sure exactly where this will affect. They might still be present in the Layers Panel when you right click a layer. I just don't know.