Warning: No pixels are more than 50% selected.

[tonymuffin]

Why sometimes when I am doing a focus stack merge in PhotoShop I get the following message?

Warning: No pixels are more than 50% selected.  The selection edges will not be visible

What does this mean and how do I fix this?

Thanks

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Hi @tonymuffin that warning generally means when the process was running it could not find enough pixel data to make a selection. In terms for Focus Stacking, it means there wasnt enough unique data to select and make a mask. It could be due to a duplicate layer or two layers with very similar pixel data/depth.

https://creativecloud.adobe.com/cc/discover/article/focus-stacking-in-photoshop?locale=en

[tonymuffin]

Thanks for your quick response Kevin

However, I am still not clear exactly what is causing this.  I do know how to do focus stacking in Photoshop and each of the images I use are unique shots.  So I am confused.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

@tonymuffin check your results when its complete - do any of the layers have nothing masked?

[tonymuffin]

All layers have something masked.

[D Fosse]

The key in that message is "50%". That boundary is what the selection edges (marching ants) mark.

There can still be a lot selected 49% and less! So there may still be an active selection, there is just no visible marching ants boundary.

[tonymuffin]

Thanks D Fosse, I apprecaite your response here.  However, I have no clue what you just stated.

[D Fosse]

Ah, well, no, absolutely right. That message has no business in a focus stack. No idea why it pops up here.

But if you ever do make a selection and this message comes up; then you know what it means 😉