Duplicating image in the same layer

[Yorgi]

Hi there, first time here on the forum and a complete newbie in Photoshop.

Searching the internet only led me to an answer that states that any copying and pasting will be resulting in a new layer for every new paste, which is very annoying and confusing for a beginner who likes organized files, or maybe I wasn't searching the correct terms. 

My question: Is there an option to duplicate (copy/paste) image in the SAME layer in Photoshop?

Stay cool, Yorgi...

[Nancy OShea]

No.  But you can merge layers after pasting.

Click on one layer, hold Shift key, and click on another.

Press Ctrl+E on Windows or Command+E on Mac to merge the two layers together.

Hope that helps.

[Zesty_wanderlust15A7]

Or it you want to merge with a pixel layer below; Ctrl+E is all you need.

You can even merge an adjustment layer into a pixel layer below.

But always keep your eye on the ball, as not everything magically works as you would expect.

[Yorgi]

Thanks for an answer!
But if I merge layers, will I be able to move each element around as I want to or they become a whole "unit" that moves together?

[Nancy OShea]

Thanks for an answer!

By @Yorgi

==========

You're welcome.  Don't be intimidated by layers. Think of layers as stacked acetate sheets. Layers allow you to adjust opacity, position, styles and blend modes on individual elements.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/layer-basics.html

Organize with Layer Groups

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/how-to/photoshop-reduce-chaos-layer-groups.html

[Semaphoric]

Layer Groups sounds like what the OP would like. Select the whole group in the Layers panel, and the Move tool will operate on it all. Select a single layer, and it works on just that one. Auto Select needs to be turned off for this.

[Semaphoric]

If you want to copy a portion of a layer to itself, make a selection, and then Alt+Drag with the Move tool.

[Zesty_wanderlust15A7]

Or you can use Ctrl + Alt/Option + drag, so you don't have to change your tool.

[jane-e]

My question: Is there an option to duplicate (copy/paste) image in the SAME layer in Photoshop?

By @Yorgi

If you want to keep the duplicate in the same layer, Alt+drag the selected pixels. Later, though, you say that you want to move them separately. The easiest way to do that is to keep them on separate layers.

• Move+Drag with nothing selected moves the entire layer.
• Move+Drag with a selection moves the selected pixels.

Jane

[D Fosse]

Right. There are good reasons a paste is always a new layer.

[Zesty_wanderlust15A7]

Not always. There are cases where you can do Select All on an empty layer and it will paste into that. Sometimes not — the logic escapes me ATM. I know I was happy you could do that in several actions I made in the past.