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Martin5FDF
Participating Frequently
November 10, 2020
Answered

Magic Wand tool selects everything

  • November 10, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 12603 views

I have a single layer one colour PNG file and I'm trying to use the magic wand to select part of a logo to change the colour, however, the entire layer is being selected.  I'm in Photoshop 22.0.0.  I've tried changing the tolerance, selecting 'sample all layers', I've restarted Photoshop and reset the default tools... nothing seems to be working.

 

Any ideas Community?

Correct answer DistinctlyMe

I know it's been a while since you posted this, but I just ran into the same thing. Simple image, only two colors, regardless of what I did, the Magic Wand selected everything.

 

For me, it turns out I had hit Q instead of W on my keyboard while looking at the image, and I turned on Quick Mask.

 

I was losing my mind ... until I saw "Quick Mask" beside the file's name (on the tab for the document). I vaguely remember seeing the red mask overlay, but in my haste, I guess I had hit W right after and went along my obliviously merry way.

 

I hit Q again, and voila. I'm no longer selecting every pixel with the wand.

3 replies

DistinctlyMe
DistinctlyMeCorrect answer
Participant
November 11, 2023

I know it's been a while since you posted this, but I just ran into the same thing. Simple image, only two colors, regardless of what I did, the Magic Wand selected everything.

 

For me, it turns out I had hit Q instead of W on my keyboard while looking at the image, and I turned on Quick Mask.

 

I was losing my mind ... until I saw "Quick Mask" beside the file's name (on the tab for the document). I vaguely remember seeing the red mask overlay, but in my haste, I guess I had hit W right after and went along my obliviously merry way.

 

I hit Q again, and voila. I'm no longer selecting every pixel with the wand.

    A
    Anonymous
    November 29, 2023

    @DistinctlyMe  This helped me! Thanks.

    Rista12
    Rista12
    Participating Frequently
    November 10, 2020

    I cut out the face with the Rectangular Marquee, put it on it's own layer, selected with Magic Wand and filled with Edit>Fill>Foreground Color.  Is that what you are trying to do?

      M
      Martin5FDFAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      November 10, 2020

      Yeah, that doesn't work for me, I'm afraid.  Not sure why, I've been working in Photoshop for over 20 years and the Magic Wand has never let me down for simple one colour selection, especially on a transparent background layer... I've used Jane's transparency lock workaround this time and for anything more complex I wouldn't use the wand anyway... still an odd one though. Cheers!

      A
      Anonymous
      November 10, 2020

      Hi

      Can you post the png file or a screenshot of Photoshop with all the pertinent panels opened

      M
      Martin5FDFAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      November 10, 2020

       

       Here you go!

      jane-e
      Community Expert
      jane-eCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 10, 2020

      I don't see any selection at all?

       

      What you might try, though, is to lock the layer for transparency (the first of the five lock buttons in the Layers panel.) Then fill or paint the layer — any transparency will be locked and untouchable.

       

      ~ Jane

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