Resolving Layer via Copy or Layer via Cut - Grayed Out

[MN_Gophers]

There are many times you will "place" a picture file inside your photoshop document, and want to resize it, put it in a different layer, or crop the image inside photoshop - but you may find a simple error message or grayed out layer via copy/cut prevents you from doing so.

To do this, you will most often do this one of three ways:

1) Select the Marquee tool and outline the area of the image you want to copy or cut

2) Go to Layer > New > Layer via Cut/Copy

3) Click Ctrl+J

Many times, you will find none of these selections work. All options will be greyed out. You may be tempted to create a new layer, and then use one of these options in the new layer. In this case, you will get the error message "Could not make a new layer from the selection because the selected area is empty."  All these errors are a result of photoshop not identifying pixels that you are trying to cut/copy.

There is a simple solution to this problem.  Go over to the "Layers" box, and click on the layer listing for the layer where your newly placed image resides. Make sure your image is the only item in this layer, if not relocate the image into a new layer by itself.  Right-click on the layer where your photo is located in the "layers" box and click on "Rasterize Layer".

Once you do this you will now be able to follow one of the steps above to Layer Via Copy or Layer Via Cut.

Good luck.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

you will get the error message "Could not make a new layer from the selection because the selected area is empty." All these errors are a result of photoshop not identifying pixels that you are trying to cut/copy.

I would say they are the result of the active Layer not being a pixel layer or being empty in the selected region, judging from the remedy you describe.

And what you seem to call »box« goes by the name of »Panel«.

[MN_Gophers]

I would agree with your post c.pfaffenbichler - "Panel" - knew it was something other than box - I am a total amateur so finding this simple solution where no one could figure it out elsewhere seemed worth posting since it took all morning to figure it out.

Placing a picture in a layer - you would think creates a pixel layer - but apparently that is not always the case.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Pasting or Placing pixel content creates a new Layer.

You might want to check out the Move Tool’s Auto-Select if you want to quickly select a Layer by clicking on its content or ctrl-clicking with the Move Tool to get a list of Layers which have content at that spot.

[Noel Carboni]

Are you aware of the Edit - Copy Merged function?

-Noel

[craig_maclaren-swan]

Convert it to a smart object and rasterize it again, that worked for me.

[Ana_Rose]

Thank you!

[bychrishimself]

I just had this same problem, but none of these solutions helped. Then I found out that I was editing in Quick Mask Mode.
When I turned it off (Select -> Edit in Quick Mask Mode -> uncheck) I was able to create layer via copy

[Alexandru232363794379]

Thank you! Worked for me

[vanda24147102fzs0]

IT WORKED!!