Photoshop, Import Shape

[Lor2364087179f5]

When I click on "Import Shape" it gives me an empty directory. How do I get all the custom shapes? I need to append them. I have Windows 11.

[Ares Hovhannesyan]

You mean to append to custom shape panel? You need shape files with extension .CHS

[Lor2364087179f5]

Thank you for the reply...
Yes, I want to append the SHAPE files. There are none - the directory is
empty.
(I also did a search on *.chs files). How do I get access to them?

Lorenza Vidris

[Conrad_C]

Do you mean custom shapes you downloaded, or the old “legacy” shapes that were in earlier versions?

[Bojan Živković]

Photoshop defaults to its default location for custom shapes. That's normal. If you do not have any shapes saved in that location, feel free to navigate to any other directory where you have saved downloaded or previously created shapes, just as you do when opening files. When you find the file, double-click on it, and the shapes will be imported.

[Lor2364087179f5]

I can't find the extension for those files anywhere on my PC. Where can I
re-upload the shapes files?
Thank you.
Lorenza V.

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

@Lor2364087179f5 

Don't use Import.

Instead, open the Shapes panel from the Window menu (not options bar). Click the Shapes panel menu and scroll down. Click Legacy Shapes and More. Open the Disclosure Triangle and select each folder (or either). They will now appear in the option bar for you to use.

In the same panel menu, you can reload the new default shapes if you want them.

Jane

[Myra Ferguson]

I agree with what @jane-e is recommending to add the Legacy Shapes and More shapes. When you go to Window > Shapes, you'll find the panel menu in the upper right of that panel (it's the hamburger menu).

[Trevor.Dennis]

I struggled to find some favourite shapes after the new UI was introduced, ever after bringing in the lagacy shapes.  What has saved me from frustration is the search tool in the new Shapes panel.

A nice way to make the new panels more accessible is to open and minimise them, and then dock them to the collapsed icons on the right of your screen, and to the left of Properties, layers, adjustments etc.

[Lor2364087179f5]

Thank you, jane-e.
Women are awesome!

[jane-e]

Haha, and you're welcome @Lor2364087179f5 . I'm glad this works for you now.

The Shapes panel is for managing shapes. You can reorder, delete, move them in and out of folders, etc., so the ones you use are at the top in the options bar. Trevor has a good hint to use Search when you need it.

Jane

[Trevor.Dennis]

Jane, we think you are awesome regardless of gender.  🙂

[EDIT]  I should have read your comment before making mine.

So regards using the search tool, never forget that you can rename groups or individual shapes.  The latter would be a pain, but if you ever find it takes you a few tries to nail a group, rename it to the first word you used, and you'll find it first time next time you look for it.

I do the same thing with .abr brush files, but using Windows File Explorer rather than Photoshop.  I try to give them meaningful names so they list in sensible alphabetical order.  I like to keep enough of the original name to identify its source. 

In Windows that's:

C:\Users\[Your User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2024\Presets\Brushes

For Macs, use the File Locations link

https://helpx.adobe.com/nz/photoshop/kb/preference-file-names-locations-photoshop.html

In actual fact, I don't keep my presets in the default locations.  I place them in My Documents, and place a shortcut to that folder in the default location.  This means new presets are available for full release and beta versions, and I know I won't lose them when installing major updates.

[jane-e]

Jane, we think you are awesome regardless of gender.  

By @Trevor.Dennis

Aw, shucks, Trevor, thank you! (blushing)

Great advice on naming the presets and putting them in the Documents folder with an Alias in the default location (macOS terms). I'll do that tomorrow morning.

Jane