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Participating Frequently
October 15, 2023
Answered

Shift+Command+Option+E = Merge a copy of all visible layers into target layer - Photoshop 2024

  • October 15, 2023
  • 10 replies
  • 12007 views

Shift+Command+Option+E = Merge a copy of all visible layers into target layer - doesnt working anymore!

in Photoshop previous versions worked normally!

 

I allready reset keyboard shortcuts - no effect. 

Correct answer bluedotstudioscayman

Same problem. Another app Clickup, was hijacking the shortkeys. it didn't even have a command option shift E shortkey, just a shift E one. Disabling the shortkeys on that app fixed it though

 

10 replies

Participant
June 12, 2025

same problem here 😞 

Participant
June 29, 2024

Hello. I had the same issue, and my solution was to change the keyboard input source. I am from Mexico, but I use all Adobe programs in English, so I set my keyboard input source to US International - PC because it makes the shortcuts easier for me. However, the MERGE A COPY OF ALL VISIBLE LAYERS command doesn't work with that setting. When I change the input source to LATIN AMERICA, the command works. I think your input source might have been modified or changed by mistake. I hope this helps.

Best regards.

 

Participant
May 8, 2025

This has been very helpful to me, thank you

Participant
March 11, 2024

@Glauco O. M. did you solve it?

 

Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 11, 2024

I was going to suggest editing the shortcut for copy merged, but it turns out to be not straight forward.

There is no Shift Ctrl Alt E under layers

But there is a Copy Merged under the Edit menu

You can see it is greyed out in my screen shot. You need to Select All (Ctrl A) to make it available.

You can combine this with a simple Action:

 

I don't know if the first step is necessary. The first time I tested it, it placed the copy merged layer above the forth layer in a stack of five, because that was the state when I recorded it.  I thought about adding A Ctrl Shift ] to the action, but it was simpler to deselect all layers, and simply finish with Ctrl V to paste, which always seems to place the copy merged layer at the top of the stack.

 

You can see I used Shift F8 to trigger my action.  I don't know what the default is for that shortcut, but I never use the Function key defaults.  I'll be deleting the action after posting this as, Like Dag, I use Windows, and Shift Ctrl Alt E works fine for me.

 

 

 

 

bluedotstudioscaymanCorrect answer
Participant
December 6, 2023

Same problem. Another app Clickup, was hijacking the shortkeys. it didn't even have a command option shift E shortkey, just a shift E one. Disabling the shortkeys on that app fixed it though

 

jane-e
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 6, 2023

Thank you for sharing that @bluedotstudioscayman !

 

Jane

Art Cave
Participating Frequently
November 16, 2023

In my case, 'PowerToys' interfered with Photoshop's Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E shortcut. I couldn't identify which PowerToys function was using this shortcut. If someone knows and can share a way to disable it, please let me know. Currently, the only workaround is to exit PowerToys when using Photoshop.

jane-e
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 16, 2023

That's useful information, @Art Cave , thanks for sharing it!

 

Jane

Earth Oliver
Legend
October 30, 2023

works as expected here. OS 14.1, Ps 25.1.

Jeremy JR
Participant
October 30, 2023

This had me confused for a while, but then I found that the layers need to be selected in the layers palette for the key command to work...

Earth Oliver
Legend
October 30, 2023

that's not true.

Jeremy JR
Participant
October 30, 2023

Well it's true for me and it might well be true for some those for whom it doesn't work. You shouldn't be so quick to dismiss problems simply because you don't have them. If you went to a doctor with a concern, you'd be disappointed if their response was mearly to tell you how well they feel.

 

I'm on an older operating system, so possibly it's an OS issue...

jane-e
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2023

@Glauco O. M. 

 

Sometimes other applications take over keyboard shortcuts — it can even be a browser. You can try rebooting, then run nothing but Photoshop to see if the shortcut works.

 

You can also use an awkward workaround in the interim. Before Adobe gave us the Option (Alt) key addition to the Merge Visible shortcut, we did it this way:

  • Save or Save As
  • Duplicate the layers
  • Hide the original layers
  • Merge Visible (menu or Cmd+Shift+E)
  • Show the Hidden layers

 

Jane

 

 

D Fosse
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 15, 2023

Exactly how doesn't it work? Is it not producing a new merged layer at all, or does the merged layer not have the content you expect?

It works just fine here, for what that's worth.

Participating Frequently
October 15, 2023

nothing happens.

D Fosse
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 24, 2023

ok, repeat the process only with regular layers, without adjustment layers. 


Something  on your Mac is hijacking shortcuts. You should find out what.

jane-e
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 15, 2023

@Glauco O. M. 

 

For testing purposes, does it work when you hold down the option key and use the Layers panel menu to Merge Visible?

 

Jane

Participating Frequently
October 15, 2023

no.