Participant

Answered

PS 2015.5 - Refine Edge tool? Missing?

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
June 21, 2016
39 replies
191591 views

Hi,

With the new update of Photoshop it appears that the Refine Edge tool has been removed or changed into something else?
Anyone shed some light on this? Its a tool that I would always use to quickly adjust my selections when editing photography.

Closest tool I can see that looks the same and is in the same location as the Refine Edge tool is Select and Mask. This is under the right click of the selection.

Cheers,

Adam.

EG Design

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Terri Stevens

Yes it has been retired , just when I learned how to use it Seriously I'm not up to speed with the new release yet, but Jesus Ramirez has posted a set of videos on the new features

How To Use The Select And Mask Workspace In Photoshop - YouTube

or to see many of the important ones

Photoshop CC 2015.5 Tutorials - YouTube

I think there are also links in Jeff Tranberry's post above to a number of videos by Jule Anne Kost who is always worth watching.

Show previous replies

M

MSaladin

Participant

Select Menu / Focus Area... It works as refine edges as well...

Marja de Klerk

Inspiring

Thanks Terri! Scott Kelby's video makes it very clear that the Refine Edge tool is not retired at all. It is only replaced by this even better tool Select and Mask.

I really like the 'Onion Skin' view!

RockyVega

Participant

And they couldn't just ADD this new feature instead of DELETING the Refine Edge option? Thanks for getting rid of something that helped increase my workflow, Adobe. Real nice.

Benjamin Root

Legend

Try it out. I was a little surprised myself, but it has not changed that much.

Conrad_C

Community Expert

Benjamin Root wrote:
Try it out. I was a little surprised myself, but it has not changed that much.

Exactly. There doesn't seem to be much reason to panic, and I think "retired" and "missing" are not accurate ways to describe it. Select and Mask is largely the same as Refine Edge, but enhanced.

If you liked using Refine Edge features like Radius, Smart Radius, Feather, Decontaminate Colors…they are all still there in Select and Mask. They have not been retired at all.

If you liked selecting with the Pen tool, it's still right there in the Tools panel, as it always has been. You can still use the Pen tool as the starting point for a selection that you then move into Select and Mask, exactly as you used to do with Refine Edge. I think they changed the name from Refine Edge to Select and Mask because you aren't just refining an edge anymore, you can also create new Quick Selection-like selections while inside it. The new name does also clarify that it can also produce a mask from a selection.

rockyv6 wrote:
And they couldn't just ADD this new feature instead of DELETING the Refine Edge option? Thanks for getting rid of something that helped increase my workflow, Adobe. Real nice.

But adding and not deleting is actually what they did here. Select and Mask has mostly the same Refine Edge features, but adds new selection features so you can save a few steps. It's an improvement, and when you look closer, nothing was really "deleted".

K

kobawsky

Participating Frequently

WHat? Seriously?

Benjamin Root

Legend

Yes, seriously.

I did use the new Select and Mask tool on a project yesterday and it worked well. It takes a little getting used to, but the features aren't entirely different.

K

Kevin.F

Participant

The keyboard shortcut still works, CTRL+SHIFT+R, though it's no longer called Refine Edge, just the vague 'Properties' However, when I check Remember Settings, it no longer remembers that I want to Output To: Layer Mask.

K

Klizzama

Participant

Thanks for sharing! I had to keep two versions of Photoshop, the 2017 and cs6, but to my disadvantage, they conflict with each other... Let's hope Adobe reincorporates this ability to fine tune... for instance, as it currently is, it does not work on white over white...

D

Davos2

Participant

This is insane! Why would they retire this incredibly useful tool. I used it constantly

Terri Stevens

Legend

watch the video-all is not lost

P

polskey

Participant

I don't have time to watch this now - can someone please tell me how to uninstall this upgrade ASAP - I am also in the middle of a project - had to upgrade because Bridge kept crashing - but I don't have time to learn the new software right now - also you need to re-train your brain.

Argghhhhhh - help please

EG-DesignAuthor

Participant

Thanks for the replies guys.

I can see the reason for new tool, but sometimes you want that precision with the pen tool selection and then being able to adjust the feature, edge and contrast of that selection.
That video has made a valid point and shown the ability with that tool, while being able to be quick with the selection and achieving the effect needed for the job. But I just can't stand it when a tool gets removed that I used so much for my job.

Benjamin Root

Legend

You can still use the new Select and Mask feature on a selection created with the Pen tool..

S

StepRock

Participating Frequently

YES! I HATE the new tool. I want REFINE EDGE BACK!!!!!

Maybe the new on is supposed to be the same or better, but it doesn't function the same or better. The refine edge tool was much simpler to use. I barely ever had to adjust the settings and the edge detection was much more accurate. For example I could do a simple quick selection on a person in a photo, make it a mask and then go into refine edge and very quickly and efficiently adjust the edges. I LOVED how it would help me mask HAIR. It could detect even the slightest change in the photo to help me mask hair and edges of people's skin and clothing. Now when I go to adjust it is picking up everything in the background and adding it to my mask. Why change a great thing? I am also working on a project with a tight deadline and now I have to try to learn how to use this new tool. Don't even try to tell me it is the same. It absolutely is not.

I am with you there, Katie! I find myself under a tight deadline and, lo and behold, my core software has been "improved" for me. Instead of meeting a deadline, I end up frantically searching for a quick fix or training! There has GOT to be a better way to roll out feature changes. We graphic professionals rely on Adobe software and can't afford to stop in the middle of what we're doing.

Some sort of soft roll-out where the old tool still exists for one version would be more than welcome. This sort of approach to surprise updates creates problems.

Terri StevensCorrect answer

Legend

Yes it has been retired , just when I learned how to use it Seriously I'm not up to speed with the new release yet, but Jesus Ramirez has posted a set of videos on the new features

How To Use The Select And Mask Workspace In Photoshop - YouTube

or to see many of the important ones

Photoshop CC 2015.5 Tutorials - YouTube

I think there are also links in Jeff Tranberry's post above to a number of videos by Jule Anne Kost who is always worth watching.