Photoshop: In the Colour Balance dialog box, allow Keyboard shortcuts to jump between the Shadow/Midtone/Highlight boxes

[jameskachan]

In the Colour Balance panel menu / dialog box (properties), I would like to have the ability to set keyboard shortcuts to easily jump between the Shadows / Midtones / Highlights— having to use the mouse to switch each is annoying.

I like using the TAB and ⌥+TAB to move between the the three colour ranges, and the arrow keys or number pad to enter values, but not having a keyboard shortcut to switch the tonal ranges slows things down.
This would be a great help!

[Kukurykus]

If you mean Image / Color Balance and you're on Windows with English version of Photoshop you can user (Shift) Tabulator to switch numercial fields, arrows to change quantity and some keys with Alt to activate exact fields.

[jameskachan]

The Tab key cycles though the three colour ranges on both Mac and PC — however, there is no way to use the keyboard to change the tonal range. You can't switch the range from Midtones to Shadows or Highlights without using the mouse to do so. This is what I am requesting.

[Kukurykus]

Actually I can do that if you mean 'Tone Balance'. Holding Alt with s, d or h switches between Shadows, Midtones and Highlights both on CS6 EXTENDED and CC 2018.

[jameskachan]

Really? Doesn't work for me.

I can find no way to use the keyboard to switch between Midtones / Highlights / Shadows
I have tried this with every modifier and modifier combo I can think of and it doesn't work — I am on MacOS Photoshop CC2018...

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I don't believe there is anything on Macs. I didn't know there was on Windows. Adobe usually maintains parity there. The tab key doesn't even highlight the Tone drop down menu.

[Kukurykus]

You are right. I never used it on Adjutement Layer, but on layer from 'Image / Adjustments / Color Balance'. I checked how that was in CS6 EXTENDD I still use beside CC 2018 I have as well and it was the same. It seems there's little chance Adobe is going to sort it out if for so many years there wasn't complains about it.

I can fix it by workaround if you are interested, so you can switch Tones without using mouse. The result will be completely same while the only difference you should find quite convinent will be must of triggering balance panel by some shrorcut to set / change the inputs.

That's a little complex to do but possible or course. What is your name on regular Adobe Photoshop forum? Mine is Kukurykus, if you'd like to send message.

[David Mohr]

Hi James,

The actual dialog for Color Balance under Image > Adjustments does have the standard, full keyboard support for its controls on Windows.  Mac has no such standard.  You're using Adjustment Layers, which use a different interface on both platforms and this interface does NOT have a keyboard-based model to access controls.  I'll see if XD can come up with something.

Thanks,
David

[jameskachan]

Thanks so much David.
This has been annoying me for some time and I'm so happy to hear it's been noted.

Bringing the Windows and Mac versions into sync would make the most sense, off the top of my head I can't see why the Option modifier (⌥+ S/M/H) couldn't be used, though I'd be fine with some  other logical key sequence.

And of course it would be best to have the same keyboard shortcut that applies to switching the tone ranges in Colour Balance (destructive) also apply for the Colour Balance  Adjustment Layer.

[Kukurykus]

So you say that is the same for Mac and Windows in case of Color Balance in Properties panel, but using regular Color Balance it's different, I mean on Windows you can use shortcuts but on Mac you can not? I thought on both systems it's alike, isn't it?

What exact fields/options are lacking on Macintosh then comparing it with Windows Color Balance (that from 'Image/Adjutements' menu)? On Windows you can use tab, arrows and and some letters with Alt held to switch to 'Color Levels', certain 'Tone Balance' or 'Preserve Luminosity'. Which of these you can't on Mac?

[Kukurykus]

btw James Kachan didn't you see my previous answer for your other post? Wouldn't you like it now before Adobe one day may do something about it. I actually finished that and that works, tell me if you want to test it on Mac...