How to merge layers?

I've used Photoshop for 20 years, but sporadically. I know enough to be dangerous. Recently started working on a simple logo for my church group. It's all grayscale, with horizontal lines that thin or thicken to reveal a shape. Dummy me, I was in such a big hurry that I just started drawing lines like mad, then stopped and saw that Photoshop had faithfully put each new line on its own layer. Well, I though I remembered from past use that one of the options in the Layers palette was "Merge down." But when I looked for it, it wasn't there. Did I just imagine this feature? How do I pick a group of layers and make them become one layer? By the way, since my Photoshop needs are pretty basic, I've never upgraded from version 7.

One way would be to link the layers you want to merge
and then choose merge linked.
The reason you don't see merge down is because your working
with shape layers.
MTSTUNER

Similar Messages

How to merge Layers without losing layer mask?

I'm trying to save a file that looks great in Photoshop and preserve it as a PNG. I'll create the image, simply "merge layers" and lose the transparency of it. How do I get my PNG to look like it does in photoshop.
The red background show through in photoshop originally...but then after "merge layers" or saving the PNG every way possible (or so I think)... the degree of transparency isn't preserved.
Below looks great. (red bleeds through nicely, good transparency)
Now doesn't look so good. (all i did was merge layers and red doesn't bleed through properly anymore, same result when saving as png)
I'm a beginner with photoshop, so keep that in mind with any solution reccomendations.
Thanks

You see your first image before you merged everything down? From that point you just go File>save as> then save it as Outsource.png or what ever name you choose. you need to save it all seperated as it looks in picture one.
If you are still having issues, another way to do it is
edit>copy merged
File>new choose the default as it should be your image size by default.
edit>paste. it should look just like your masked image only not masked. Then save it as a PNG.

How to merge layered images?

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to merge layered images in Illustrator CS3?
I'm used to doing it with Photoshop. I thought the merge in Pathfinder would work but apparently not
Thanks for any advice
George

Choose both layers (click on one and hold down the CTL key to click on the second), then go to the layers drop down menu, and choose 'Merge Selected'.
OR
Choose both layers as above, go to layers drop down menu, and choose 'Collect in New Layer'.
Not sure this is what you're wanting to do .... if not, there may be another way.
DS

How to merge adjustment layers to hundreds of layers?

Say I have a photoshop File with 100 layers. And say I created 3 adjustment layers on top of those 100 layers to get the adjustments that i want for those layers. I'm happy with the adjustments but Then I NEED to merge those 3 adjustment layers to ALL those 100 layers. Is there a way to easily permanently apply the adjustments to each of those layers without having to do it manually? I absolutely need to merge the adjustments to the seperate layers because of how the layers are being used in a seperate 3d program.
So far what I've been doing is duplicating the adjustment layers for each layer and merging them to said layers separately.. Anyone have a better way? I wish I could just right click the adjustment layer and Tell it to merge to everylayer it affects or apply to every layer underneath it!
Anyone?
Thanks!

Record an action starting with your adjustments on top, with all of the adjustment layers selected.
1 - Duplicate the adjustment layers
2 - Select backward layer (alt-[)
3 - Select backward layer with add (alt-shift-[)
4 - Repeat step 3 as many times as needed (for three adjustments this would be twice more)
5 - Merge layers
6 - Select forward layer (alt-])
7 - Select forward layer with add (alt-shift-])
8 - Repeat 7 as needed (for three adjustments it would be once more)
9 - Move to previous layer (ctrl-[)
Then run it 100 times. Or duplicate these steps a few times and run the 5-up action 20 times. To retain the original layer name, you could dupe the image layer, and move the original to the top of the stack (alt-] a few times) about to be merged and reduce its opacity to 0%. The basic idea is to use alt-], alt-shift-] and ctrl-] to navigate around, and record an action that gets you can to square 1, except that your adjustments have been dropped down to the next layer below.
You could also export layers to files, batch them by adding and merging the adjustment layers, and then loading them back into the stack. Or use pixel replacement variables to do much the same thing.

How to merge adjustment layers to several layers and export layers to files

Hi!
I have now exactly the same problem as below with over 1000 images, I have saved them in .psd that has over 100 layers each. On top of those there is curves and levels layer that affects every layer below. I want to save all images to .jpg for videoedit with those curves at least. I don't want to merge same curves 100 times. Is there a solution in phothoshop cs5 or cs6 available? Would save alot of working hours. All I have got by this far is blank white images of adjustment layers and non adjusted jpg-files.
This discussion was opened in 2010 and I quess this is same problem:
How to merge adjustment layers to hundreds of layers?
Jul 28, 2010 10:38 AM
Say I have a photoshop File with 100 layers. And say I created 3 adjustment layers on top of those 100 layers to get the adjustments that i want for those layers. I'm happy with the adjustments but Then I NEED to merge those 3 adjustment layers to ALL those 100 layers. Is there a way to easily permanently apply the adjustments to each of those layers without having to do it manually? I absolutely need to merge the adjustments to the seperate layers because of how the layers are being used in a seperate 3d program.
So far what I've been doing is duplicating the adjustment layers for each layer and merging them to said layers separately.. Anyone have a better way? I wish I could just right click the adjustment layer and Tell it to merge to everylayer it affects or apply to every layer underneath it!
Anyone?
Thanks!
Thanks alot if u solve this!
-Anne

first
doing action on one photo only with any effects or filtters .
second
doing Droplet = File > Automate > Create Droplet.
for more details with pictures here
http://www.absba.org/showthread.php?t=1172143

Saved my Photoshop file after merging layers then closed Photoshop, can I restore back to how I had it?

Hello,
I saved a really important client Photoshop file after merging layers then closed Photoshop, can I restore back to how I had it before I merged the layers? or just back a day or two..it's been a couple hours.

No, unless… you are on a Mac and have Time Machine backups, or can restore your Windows box back to an earlier poit in time.
But there's nothing within the Photoshop application itself to help you once you save and close a file,

How do I merge layers in Draw?

I'm enjoying using Draw but can't find a way of "merging down" a layer like I used to in Ideas. This is a really essential feature in my workflow. Am I missing something obvious, or has this feature been scrapped?

Merging layers is still possible in Draw. Tap the "..." icon on the right side of the layer you would like to "merge down". Then, tap the third icon from the left. You should see a popup that gives you the choice to flip the layer horizontally, flip the layer vertically, or merge the layer down to the one below.
Hope that helps,
Frank
Draw Engineering

How do I merge layers/objects in Illustrator?

In photoshop I can easily merge layers when I get too many. But I can't find this function in Illustrator. I'm using a dot grid for colouring and I have to duplicate the image/object to grow the grid. But now I have tons of layers that are slowing down my computer and preventing it from saving the AI file. I've tried grouping the objects but it just puts the multitude of layers in a sublayer which doesn't help.
Does Illustrator have a merge layer option that will take a bunch of objects and merge them into one object?
Thank you for your help.

There is an option you might find handy, even though in this situation Monika might have a superior way of handling this process.
From the Layers flyout there is show layers only, it does not show the dots as separate paths but as a collective layer.
As you have it set up now
After the option is selected you get all of this and one layer no paths showing

Help! How to Merge Linked Layers?

in CS3.
Thanks!

From Help:
Merge and stamp layers
When you have finalized the content of layers, you can merge them to reduce the size of your image files. When you merge layers, the data on the top layers replaces any data it overlaps on the lower layers. The intersection of all transparent areas in the merged layers remains transparent.
Note: You cannot use an adjustment layer or fill layer as the target layer for a merge.
In addition to merging layers, you can stamp them. Stamping allows you to merge the contents of more than one layer into a target layer while leaving the other layers intact.
Note: When you save a merged document, you cannot revert back to the unmerged state; the layers are permanently merged.
Merge two layers or groups
1. Make sure that the layers and groups you want to merge are visible.
2. Select the layers and groups you want to merge.
b 3. Choose Layer > Merge Layers.
Note: You can merge two adjacent layers or groups by selecting the top item and then choosing Layer > Merge Down or Merge Group. You can merge linked layers by choosing Layer > Select Linked Layers, and then merging the selected layers.

How to merge two pictures side by side

How do you merge two pictures side by side?

Open one image
Expand the canvas using Image>Canvas Size... or visually by using the crop tool, you can drag outside of the document area to expand it.
Place the second image. (Image Reveal All can be used instead of expanding the canvas if part of the second image is outside the document area.)
Select both layer in the layer panel and Layer>Merge Layers (ctrl-e {windows} cmd-e {Mac})

Explanation of the merge layers options?

i need a brief eeplaination of the merge layers options.

In order:
Opacity is just that: A percentage determines how transparent that layer will look above another layer in a layer stack.
The official Adobe help for Photoshop can help explain the shorter list of Blend Modes PS Touch has including Screen and Multiply.
Match Color will try to capture the overall color tone of the layer beneath it. (Especially good for trying to match two disparate layers.) Take note this only shows up for the next to bottom-most layer and above in the layer stack for obvious reasons. (You can't match color in the bottom-most layer because there isn't anything underneath that layer to match color with.)
Merge Layers does what you think it does with some options: You can merge only visible layers, flatten the whole project into one layer or simply merge the selected layer with the layer immediately beneath it.
Finally, Delete simply deletes the layer.

How to save layered PDD file as JPG?

Hi, folks:
[running Photoshop CS3 under Windows XP Pro/SP3 ]
I have a PSD file with about 14 layers. A few are hidden. I want to save as a jpg, so I go to file -> save as and save as a jpg file (the yellow alert icon shows next to "layers" in the save dialog). Yet the resulting jpg looks just fine. I've been doing this for years.
Today, support told me in case #180459305 that doing that would corrupt the jpg. They said that I need to first merge layers in the PSD file, then save as a jpg.
They also suggested that I post this question here. So here it is. Do I have to go through the extra step in manually flattening the PSD file (and potential pitfall of mistakenly saving it as a PSD and losing my layers forever)?
Thanks,
Fred

Hi, Ed, J:
Thanks for your responses!
His explanation was as follows:
Save the layered PSD as a jpg. When you do so, a yellow exclamation alert appears next to "layers" in the save dialogue box. He said this means that the file will be corrupted if it is saved.
Now I believe it means that layers will be merged during the process of saving as a jpg, and I said so. He said no, let me prove it to you:
Go to Image->mode-> and set 16 bits per channel. Then save as a jpg. You will notice that there is no way to save an image as a jpg. Now how the hell that proves his former point is beyond me.
Now for the biggest laugh of the day: he said (in case#180459305) that if you copy or rename files using the filesystem filemanager (e.g., the desktop or windows explorer), that it would open the file to copy or rename it and then rewrite it, thus cause lossy image degradation.
I told him (politely) that he was wrong - that renaming a file does not open it - it simply updates directory information about the file, and that copying a file (outside of photoshop) does a byte-for-byte clone of the file and does not degrade image quality.
Where do they get these purported "experts"????
Cheers,
Fred

Importing Photoshop Merged layers problem

Hi. I'm trying to import a layered Photoshop file into After Effects. I'm on a new intel iMac running Leopard and both PS (extended) and AE are CS3. I chose the merged layers option because I don't want all the layers in AE, just the final composition. Am I correct in thinking that if I update my photoshop file, it'll update in AE in the merged file?
That's not really my problem, just making sure that's how it works. My problem is that this is how my image looks in photoshop:
but in AE it comes out like this:
I was having the same problem when using quicklook, so I'm assuming it's something with photoshop. I turned on save full size image preview in the file handling preferences in photoshop, which did fixed the problem when using quicklook, but didn't fix the image in After Effects. I reloaded the footage and even reimported it into a new project in AE but it's still the same.
Anyone know what's going on? Thank you so much.
Alycia

Thanks. I do realize I could do that, but I have about 60 Backgrounds. So it'd be nice to be able to import the whole photoshop file and still be able to work on it without having to flatten it every time. That's kind of what I've been doing so far.
Alright, I came up with a better workaround. I created a new psd file and put the original layered psd on a layer as a smart object and then imported that layer into After Effects. This seems to be working nicely, and I can still edit the original without having to resave a flattened file all the time.
It's still be nice to get this working properly though. It seems to only display the original layer of the photoshop file.

Does merging layers make smaller png images?

Hello:
I have a Windows 8 and I am using Photoshop CC - the most recent update.
I am curious about something and cannot seem to find a specific answer...
Does Merging Layers before saving the image for the web make the file size smaller?
Or does it not matter how many (open) Layers the image has when it comes time to save it for the web?
Thank you very much for your time.

If you flatten before you save for web you loos your layers, your work. If you use save for web or save as to save an image file in a file format that does not support layers like Jpeg and PNG. Photoshop will temporary flatten the current document change color depth to 8bit if need be, optionally convert to sRGB color space then encode the images into the file format you want to save, write the file and then revert your document to the state it was in before you did the save for web or save as. You can then preserve you work by saving the document into a file format that supports layers, PSD, PSB or Tiff.

Losing masks when merging layers

Hey guys,
So I have been trying to learn to be as non destructive as possible... one problem Ive recently had is that when I try to merge layers, I will lose the mask that was on one of the layers. How do I prevent this? :/
Cheers!!

One small note: Every selection specifically is 8 bits/channel no matter what the document depth. I say this because selection masks are always provided to plug-ins in 8 bits/channel format.
So my point is that if you're editing deep (e.g., 16 bits/channel) image data, and whatever workflow you're using uses a selection as part of it, you will have quantized the data to 8 bits at some point.
You can prove this to yourself if you're skeptical... Make a radial pure grayscale gradient in a 16 bits/channel document. Then control-click on one of the color channels to make it a selection, and Save the selection in a channel. Now Copy the data from that channel and paste it over the original gradient as a new RGB layer. Set it to Difference blending and greatly enhance the brightness of the differences...
-Noel

How to merge layers?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for