Editing Text after merging text layer with another layer

Question

Hi,I am using Photoshop 25.1.0.  I am writing some software documentation for which I want to annotate screenshots by placing a number inside a bounding rectangle at various places in the screenshot.  In the sample below, I have done this in one place in the sample below with the number one.  I did this by drawing the rectangle first with the rectangle tool and then drawing the text with the horizontal type tool.  This resulted in the rectangle being on one layer and the text being on another layer.  Now I'd like to replicate this in various other locations for numbers two, three, etc.  With the rectangle and the text on separate layers, I can copy the rectangle to a new layer and then copy the text to a new layer.  I can then position the rectangle and the text on the new layers where I want them and then edit the text.  This seems very cumbersome,  I was hoping that if I merged the rectangle and text layers together, I could make this task more efficient.  Doing this allows me to copy the rectangle with the text in a single operation, but I find myself unable to edit the text when I do it this way. Can anyone here tell me if there is a way that I can edit the text after having merged its layer with the rectangle layer?  If not, is there a better way that I can streamline a process like this? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance,Paul

jane-e · Accepted Answer

Hi pixxxelschubser -

Thank you for your reply. I selected both the text layer and the rectangle layer, right-clicked the section, and chose "Group from Layers". This allows me to copy and paste the group, and I am able to edit the text in the Copy. This is great, but one thing is still causing me confusion. After I copy and paste my group and edit the text, I usually want to reposition the new group.

When I select the new group in the Layers panel and then try to use the Move tool to move the group, I am able to move the text or the rectangle independently, but I can't figure out how to move the group as a whole (rectangle and text moving together in one operation). Is there a trick that would allow me to do this?

Thanks again!

Paul

I can't figure out how to move the group as a whole (rectangle and text moving together in one operation).
By @PaulKraemer1

First, select the Group in the Layers panel, then in the options bar for the Move tool, select the option for "Group" instead of "Layer".

Jane

jane-e · Answer

@PaulKraemer1

You didn't show your layers panel, so this is a guess. If you merged a Type layer with a Pixel layer, the text is now raster and no longer live editable text. Is this what happened?

If not, please show your Layers panel.

Jane

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