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Transform Shift No Longer Maintains Aspect Ratio in Photoshop

Participant ,
Nov 03, 2018 Nov 03, 2018

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I just updated to the latest Photshop CC and now when I transform objects while holding down shift, it doesn't maintain the same ratio- they get all stretched.

 

Is there a new shortcut to maintain the aspect ratio but increase or decrease the size?

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correct answers 3 Correct answers

Advocate , Nov 03, 2018 Nov 03, 2018

Hi, Yes In PS Cc 2019  Shift no longer maintain the aspect ratio.

Check this out.

Photoshop now transforms most layer types (such as pixel layers, type layers, bitmaps, Placed Smart Objects) proportionally by default. Shapes and paths, that is vectors, still transform non-proportionally by default.

When transforming a layer, you no longer need to hold down the Shift key while dragging a corner handle to resize a selected layer to constrain its proportions. Anytime you drag a corner handle during t

...

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Community Beginner , Dec 11, 2018 Dec 11, 2018

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New Here , May 11, 2023 May 11, 2023

First panel of Preferences has an option "Use Legacy Free Transform" - just in case you didn't know 🙂 Yeah, I'm also not undoing 25 years of reflex, hah!!

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Advocate ,
Nov 03, 2018 Nov 03, 2018

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Hi, Yes In PS Cc 2019  Shift no longer maintain the aspect ratio.

Check this out.

Photoshop now transforms most layer types (such as pixel layers, type layers, bitmaps, Placed Smart Objects) proportionally by default. Shapes and paths, that is vectors, still transform non-proportionally by default.

When transforming a layer, you no longer need to hold down the Shift key while dragging a corner handle to resize a selected layer to constrain its proportions. Anytime you drag a corner handle during transform and move it, the layer resizes proportionally. Holding down the Shift key now resizes non-proportionally when you drag a corner handle during transform.

To resize a layer proportionally during transform, do the following:

  1. Select the layer(s) you want to resize in the Layers panel.
  2. Press Command + T (Mac) / Control + T (Win). Alternatively, choose Edit > Free Transform.
  3. Drag a corner handle on the bounding box to resize the layer.
  4. Commit the changes.

New and enhanced features | Latest release of Photoshop CC

You can revert it.

How do I turn off the new proportional scaling by default behavior while transforming layers?

To revert to the legacy transform behavior, do the following:
Use Notepad (Windows) or a text editor on Mac OS to create a plain text file (.txt).
Type the text below in the text file:

TransformProportionalScale 0

Save the file as "PSUserConfig.txt" to your Photoshop settings folder:
Windows: [Installation Drive]:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC 2019\Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 Settings\
macOS: //Users/[User Name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 Settings/

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 05, 2018 Nov 05, 2018

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This reversion works the first time but subsequent launches of Photoshop this stops working and it reverts back to the new default, which is a complete pain in the @ss for those of us who have used Photoshop for decades.  Muscle memory kicks in.  Why change what wasn't broken?  Pointless change.

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Advocate ,
Nov 05, 2018 Nov 05, 2018

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Yes It is kinda confusing thing for the  old users.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 14, 2018 Nov 14, 2018

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And also for new users, because 99% of all internet tutorials will still say 'hold down SHIFT'. Adobe, stop fixing what isn't broke. Instead, give us features people are asking for!

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Advocate ,
Nov 14, 2018 Nov 14, 2018

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Yes. Adobe should do that But they gave option to their users that they can revert it back to its old behavior.

Today they give new updates and fixed some known issues regarding Photoshop version 20.0.

Fixed issues in Adobe Photoshop CC

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Participant ,
Dec 11, 2018 Dec 11, 2018

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I don't understand how to revert to the old behavior (both shift + transform and command Z). This workaround is super confusing - why can't there just be a simple check box?

Again, the problem isn't that the shortcut changed, it's that it is totally inconsistent. Sometimes I have to hold shift sometimes I don't. Sometimes command Z takes me back one step, sometimes it takes me back multiple steps....

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New Here ,
Jan 25, 2023 Jan 25, 2023

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It's a reflex !!! After25 years it has become a f***g reflex to press shift while scaling. It happens a hundred times a day! This still get's me so angry in 2023.

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New Here ,
May 11, 2023 May 11, 2023

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First panel of Preferences has an option "Use Legacy Free Transform" - just in case you didn't know 🙂 Yeah, I'm also not undoing 25 years of reflex, hah!!

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New Here ,
Jun 02, 2023 Jun 02, 2023

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THANK YOU!!! I've been using PS 19 out of stubbornness but I finally had to upgrade and this immediately sent me to Google to try to figure out how to fix it. You're a lifesaver!!! There was no way I was going to be able to undo almost 20 years of muscle memory either!

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New Here ,
Dec 21, 2023 Dec 21, 2023

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thank you

 

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New Here ,
Mar 30, 2022 Mar 30, 2022

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Thank you for the answer. It was very helpful. I was getting so frustrated that i kept making mistakes with scaling in photoshop.

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New Here ,
Jan 15, 2023 Jan 15, 2023

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Thank you for the text file solution. Somehow I can't "like" the answer. It still works in 2023. 

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Advocate ,
Nov 03, 2018 Nov 03, 2018

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Its a new update in Adobe photoshop Cc 2019 Without holding shift now you can maintain the aspect ratio.

1:- If you want to resize any image, or any Raster object then you no need to Hold Shift to main the Aspect ratio. Just re scale it from any corner.

2:- If you want to resize a Vector object or Shape then you need to Hold shift to maintain the Aspect Ratio.

PS: Its lit bit confusing for the old user of photoshop but they make it easier for the new users.

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Participant ,
Dec 04, 2018 Dec 04, 2018

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I don't understand why they introduce a feature that works inconsistently. Sometimes I have to use shift, sometimes I don't.... it's incredibly confusing.

Same goes for Command + Z, why are there two different functions tied to the same shortcut?

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New Here ,
Dec 11, 2018 Dec 11, 2018

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I've been using Photoshop since it first came out.  It's as if someone cut off my right and left arms and switched them. It's okay if you want to have things scale proportionally WITHOUT holding the shift key down, but making the shift command do the exact OPPOSITE is disrespectful to us old-timers! ha.

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Participant ,
Dec 11, 2018 Dec 11, 2018

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I don't understand how to revert to the old behavior (both shift + transform and command Z) - why can't there just be a simple check box?

Aren't new versions supposed to get easier to use not harder?

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 11, 2018 Dec 11, 2018

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New Here ,
Jan 11, 2019 Jan 11, 2019

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This helped me fix the transform+shift issue on my cc, thank you so much, Doc!

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 14, 2019 Jan 14, 2019

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This is, once again, an example of Adobe having no clue about what users really need, and how they work. Or rather, not caring, and simply making ill-considered changes that serve as obstacles to productivity.

This not only applies to those of us who have decades of muscular memory built in – I've been using Photoshop since around 1991 – but it also applies to ALL users. If I'm not mistaken, holding down the Shift key is the default "constrain proportions" method for Mac OS, and has been since, well, probably before Photoshop was first released in 1990.

Alternate methods like these should be offered as an option that is TURNED OFF by default, and can be turned on within a preference pane.

Instead, Adobe is forcing us to engage in digging around in some obscure settings file to tweak a value in order to restore proper (yes, proper) functionality? Seriously? Are your developers still running DOS 1.3?

This is absolutely ridiculous.

Remember who made Adobe great: your users. Especially those of us who a re professional designers and photographers who have been using your applications since the beginning, have served on the MacWorld Expo faculty for years, and have led local User Groups' Special Interest Groups on Adobe products.

Apparently you imagine that Photoshop's original users no longer have influence over the user community.

Rumors of our death are greatly exaggerated.

Stop making idiotic, UI-guidelines-breaking, totally unnecessary changes.

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Explorer ,
Jul 08, 2019 Jul 08, 2019

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so the PSUserConfig.txt file trick worked for a couple of months and now it stopped working!

WTF do I do now?  what is the next trick bc this is so freaking annoying.  I swear I would use some other app if there was an option to avoid this this. 

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Community Beginner ,
Jul 08, 2019 Jul 08, 2019

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Community Beginner ,
Aug 12, 2020 Aug 12, 2020

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I give up. There are just too may 'things' wrong with new and improved PS and I'm getting tired of figuring out the jargon to explain the problem that I'm (PS2020) having to get either an answer that addresses the problem for 10% of users leaving the 90% without a solution OR no solution at all. PS just isn't worth the hassle and the subscription (YIKES!). (I have an 'old' PS that I actually own and it works wonderfully.) I know that PS2020 probably is a whiz-bang program, but not for me. I don't have enough hair on my head to deal with it's idiosyncrasies. EXAMPLE: When using a tool that defines itself in the work space as a 'circle' it's darn hard to near impossible to see. (No 'near' about it. It just disappears and yuou have to 'feel' your way around.) And 'no' it isn't a cap lock problem / solution.

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New Here ,
Oct 22, 2020 Oct 22, 2020

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You now use just the alt key without the shift to resize to maintain the aspect ratio.

I've just saved you precious time you don't have trying to figure this out.

You're welcome.

I had to just go figure this out on my own because that Ctrl/Cmd-T mess is wrong--it just resizes the layer without constraining the aspect ratio.

 

 

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New Here ,
Oct 22, 2020 Oct 22, 2020

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To clarify even further: if after placing the layer to be resized into your workspace and you just pull the corner of the picture, it will maintain aspect ratio from the upper left corner. 

 

The alt key will place the anchor point in the center. 

 

The shift key breaks the aspect ratio so you can make the layer any size you want.

 

You're welcome

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