Restoring levels

[jjsm]

I need to edit the text portion of a PSD file that cotains both photos and text. I flattened the levels while editing the file and saved it. I now need to edit the text but there is only one level and it will not allow text edits. What can I do?

[Greg_S.]

Do you mean you flattened the layers?  If so, there is no easy way to edit the text.  Do you still have the original PSD file?  Please give us a screenshot of the document.

[jjsm]

This, other than the original photos, is all I have.

[MichelBParis]

I need to edit the text portion of a PSD file that cotains both photos and text. I flattened the levels while editing the file and saved it. I now need to edit the text but there is only one level and it will not allow text edits. What can I do?

By @jjsm

Your screenshot is a pdf file, not a psd one.

[Greg_S. · Accepted solution]

. . .  but your PDF shows that your original file is a PSD.  It looks like you will have to start over with creating your file.  As I now understand your question, you flattened the layers.  This makes all text uneditable.  It also appears that you have now added a text layer for the Page 6 footer.

Depending on your ultimate goal for this document, you may be able to use a PDF editor to OCR the document and edit the text in that format.  But, otherwise, I think you will have to start from scratch.  Hopefully, you have learned some valuable lessons from this experience:

• Never flatten text layers that you may want to edit again
• Use the Save As feature to save your edited files before making any edits (such as flattening layers) that make your file uneditable.  That way, you can always go back to your editable file with all the necessary layers.

And as I take another look at your document, I suppose it would be possible to cover over or delete the existing text and add new text layers.  However, it will probably be faster and cleaner to start this project from scratch.

[Test Screen Name]

If you flatten your text, it isn't text, and you can't edit it. 

While you retype the text, you might like to think hard about the importance of saving an unflattened file (as I often wished I had).