Preventing groups/folders from auto-expanding when selecting a layer in the group

[Guest]

Dear PS Community,

I did a quick search and did not find any answers on how to stop groups/folders in the layers panel from automatically expanding when I select a layer in that group.

This matters to me, because after I am finished grouping my layers for oversight and visibility, I want my layers panel to be as collapsed and clean as possible.

However, as soon as I select a layer (with the move tool), the group it is in automatically expands, thus cluttering my layers panel, forcing me to manually close/collapse the group every time.

Do you know any solutions or workarounds for this?

Or is this a feature we should put up for suggestion?

Thank you so much 🙂

OS: MacOS Monterey 12.0.1

Version: Photoshop 23.1.0. (Silicon)

[Guest]

I did a quick search and did not find any answers on how to stop groups/folders in the layers panel from automatically expanding when I select a layer in that group.

By @Deleted User

Except posts mentioning to update the software, which I did.

[Guest]

How to stop groups/folders in the layers panel from automatically expanding when I select a layer in that group.

By @Deleted User

Just to clarify: The expansion (in the layers panel) of the group (the layer is in) takes place when i select a layer in the document window, not when I select a layer in the layers panel. Just to be more precise.

[Stephen Marsh]

It's a feature of the move tool options bar "auto select" checkbox. You can undo the option to auto select layer with the move tool which will stop the auto expansion of groups, but you'll obviously lose the ability to auto select layers with the move tool.

The other option is to leave this feature on, then you can either create an action and insert the layer's panel menu command for "Collapse All Groups" and use the action with an F-Key shortcut:

Or use a script where you can then use custom keyboard shortcuts which are more flexible.

// Collapse all layer groups/sets
app.runMenuItem(stringIDToTypeID('collapseAllGroupsEvent'));

or

var idcollapseAllGroupsEvent = stringIDToTypeID( "collapseAllGroupsEvent" );
var desc358 = new ActionDescriptor();
executeAction( idcollapseAllGroupsEvent, desc358, DialogModes.NO );

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html

[Guest]

Thank you for your quick and detailed, on-topic response 🙂

---

@Stephen Marsh wrote:

You can undo the option to auto select layer with the move tool which will stop the auto expansion of groups, but you'll obviously lose the ability to auto select layers with the move tool.

You exactly understood what my problem is since I don't want to lose the ability to auto-select. In this case, I will take a closer look at scripts, I have never used them before so thanks for the guidance!

Kind regards 🙂

[Stephen Marsh]

I couldn't find an "event" for expanding a layer group/set to be used with the script events manager, so manually running an action or script via a keyboard shortcut to collapse is my only solution. Let me know how you go.

[Mark at Photo Team]

I hated this option! Thanks for the answer. But to carry on from the solution: next to the "Auto-Select" is a drop-down box. You can set different preferences to Layer and Groups! Result!!

[Guest]

I'm sure you have probably soved this by now, but if not there is a solution. In the menu circled below, you can deselect 'expand layer group on click' and I think this will solve your problem if I'm understanding it properly. 

[AsianWanabe]

This is exactly what I've been looking for but this option isn't showing up in my version of photoshop. Is there a specific setting that needs to be enabled for this to appear or is it in a newer version of photoshop (I'm running the 2020 version...).

[Ged_Traynor]

@AsianWanabe can you post your Photoshop system info, in Photoshop go to Help > System Info, hit the copy button and paste the entire thing into this thread

[AsianWanabe]

In the hour since posting I've done some delving and found out that this feature was first released in version 25.9 around April of 2024. I have since installed that version and the feature works perfectly for what I wanted. I can still post my system info of my previous version of photoshop if you like but I've found my answer.