Layer Mask Transparency not White

When I go to make a selection in Photoshop CS6 and then click on layer mask from the background layer, the inverse selection is trasparent, rahter than white. How do I change this? Thank you!

Sorry for not describing it in better detail. Here is another example. When I go to crop image and expand my canvas beyond the borders and click ok, the background should be white, instead it is transparent.
When I try to convert a selection from my background image into a layer mask by selecting and then clicking on the mask icon, my background is transparent rather than white. I have cleared all my settings and am totally stumped on what I should do. Any help would be much appreciated!

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Layer Mask Suddenly Not Working

Hello!
I have been using PS 6 for several months now, with no problems; I totally love it! I tend to do a lot of heavily composited photos, so I use layer masks a lot. All of a sudden this afternoon, they aren't working. I am 100% sure I am selecting the mask itself and not the layer (paint colors change to only black and white with the slider). My opacity and flow are both at 100. I am using just a standardsoft-edged paint brush. I paint on back, and nothing changes.
What's weird is if I invert the layer mask and paint white on, that will show up. But if I switch over to black again, it won't make anything disappear.
I'm so perplexed by this; I've never had an issue like this before!
Thank you for your help!

Hi Sarah,
Do you see the black appear on the layer mask in the Layer Panel?
Have you checked that your brush mode is set to Normal?

How to know if a layer mask is full white ?

Hi,
I need a script to know if a layer mask is full white, meaning it can be deleted without any visual effect.
I can get layer mask selection, but it allways report full image size
getLayerMaskSelection()
doc.Selection.Bounds
gives (0.0, 0.0, 4000.0, 2400.0) even with doc.Selection.Invert()
Any idea ?
Basically, I try to delete all empty layer masks.

Here is another way
function selectLayerMask(visible){
    var rc = false;
    try {
        var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
        var ref = new ActionReference();
        ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" ), charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" ), charIDToTypeID( "Msk " ) );
        desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref );
        desc.putBoolean( charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" ), visible );
        executeAction( charIDToTypeID( "slct" ), desc, DialogModes.NO );
        rc = true;
    } catch (e) {}
    return rc;
function isRevealAllMask(){
    var ref = new ActionReference();
    ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" ), charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" ), charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" ) );
    var desc = executeActionGet(ref).getList(charIDToTypeID( "Hstg" ));
    var histogram =[];
    for(var h=1;h<256;h++){
        histogram.push(desc.getInteger(h));
    return histogram[254] == histogram.toString().match(/[^,0][0-9]*/);
function selectComponentChannel() {
    try{
        var map = {}
        map[DocumentMode.GRAYSCALE] = charIDToTypeID('Blck');
        map[DocumentMode.RGB] = charIDToTypeID('RGB ');
        map[DocumentMode.CMYK] = charIDToTypeID('CMYK');
        map[DocumentMode.LAB] = charIDToTypeID('Lab ');
        var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
            var ref = new ActionReference();
            ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID('Chnl'), charIDToTypeID('Chnl'), map[app.activeDocument.mode] );
        desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID('null'), ref );
        executeAction( charIDToTypeID('slct'), desc, DialogModes.NO );
    }catch(e){}
var hasMask = selectLayerMask(true);
if(hasMask){
    var revealAll = isRevealAllMask();
    selectComponentChannel();
    if(revealAll) alert('mask is all white');
Also if you have one of the newer versions of Photoshop that support mask density you might also want to check that. If the density is set to 0 this will not show the alert for non-all white mask even though the appear white in the GUI

My text layer mask is not working when I test it

My text layer mask does not appear when I test the movie. The
mask works move the key along the timeline, but when I test the
movie nothing shows up. I'm doing exactly the same thing I do when
I mask images. I actually imported an image to the text layer and
the mask worked correctly. What am I doing wrong?

provide a link the fla - make sure your text layer is truly
linked to the Mask layer. What is the
font? Did you try breaking apart the font until it becomes
raw shapes? not that you want to do that
but save as with new name - try it and if it still doesnt
work, then the issue is not with your font.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--> Adobe Certified Expert
--> www.mudbubble.com
--> www.keyframer.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
bippity wrote:
> This is driving me crazy! This should be the easiest
part of the animation!
>
> I have tried every variable I can think of.
>
> Everything works except for a layer mask with text. The
mask erases text
> anywhere in the project.
>

Layer mask suddenly not working, how to fix this?

Please help!
I have been using the layer mask before and it has worked fine until now. Suddenly it only paints black and white colors, not revealing or hiding as it should. I have the mask layer selected properly. I have reset the brush tool and all the tools. I have the brush mode set to normal.
I tried also the eraser, it paints black too.
I'm using Photoshop CC.

Riina K wrote:
I have been using the layer mask before and it has worked fine until now. Suddenly it only paints black and white colors, not revealing or hiding as it should. I have the mask layer selected properly. I have reset the brush tool and all the tools. I have the brush mode set to normal.
If you hold the Alt|option key when you click on the Layer Mask icon in the layers palette to target the layer mask Photoshop will display the layer mask in the images window not the composite image. Layer Mask are gray scale channels. All you can see is the mask Black, White and Gray. Could you have Displayed the layer mask by accident. Are you sure you have the layer mask targeted to show the composite image or could you have targeted its to show the Layer Mask instead of the composite image.

Photoshop TIFFs with layer masks do not display correctly

I am sure other people must have this problem, but I cannot find any related posts so here goes:
I open an image using the "open in external editor" command (typically a RAW file converted to a TIFF), edit in Photoshop and save the file (as a TIFF, I do not use PSD format)
If the PS edit contains any layer masks or alpha channels (masks in the channel pallet) it does not display correctly when it reappears in Aperture. Only the top most mask will display, assuming I have multiple layer masks in the PS edit.
Not only will the TIFF only appear as the mask in Aperture, but Aperture will print or email the mask, not the PS edited file as it should appear.
It seems that Aperture only recognizes the layer mask (or alpha channel mask) as the image, and all the other layers etc are disregarded.
Is this a confirmed bug, or is there some setting I have not correctly configured or some other issue?
I love Aperture, but this problem is nearly a deal-breaker for my workflow, and would be for any serious photoshop user, I would imagine!
I cannot believe this is still a problem in version 1.5, which is the version I am using (thus my system is 10.4.8)

David,
I assume you mean in the edited PS TIFF file:
In different cases I have either:
A. A TIFF file with layer a layer mask
B. A TIFF file with multiple layer masks
C. A TIFF file with an alpha channel mask
D. A TIFF file with multiple alpha channel masks
E. A TIFF file with any combination of the above
the outcome is the same, they all do not display correctly in Aperture. It does not seem to matter if the file was opened in PS from Aperture via the open with external editor command or if it was worked on outside Aperture entirely then imported. I do have maximize compatibility in PS checked (though I understand this is only for PSD files, though perhaps I am wrong here)
any thoughts?

Photoshop Generator: Unbound Layer Mask do not render correctly

I'm a huge fan of the Generator feature in Photoshop CC. However, there seems to be a problem with layer masks: If you unbound the layer mask from it's content layer, the generated images will not match the actual image. It seems, that the layer mask is positioned in different way.
Correct
Incorrect
Full Image
Layers
(no difference between bound & unboucn layer mask)
Is this the expected behaviour?
I'm using the latest Photoshop (14.2.1 x64 on OSX 10 Mavericks)

David,
I assume you mean in the edited PS TIFF file:
In different cases I have either:
A. A TIFF file with layer a layer mask
B. A TIFF file with multiple layer masks
C. A TIFF file with an alpha channel mask
D. A TIFF file with multiple alpha channel masks
E. A TIFF file with any combination of the above
the outcome is the same, they all do not display correctly in Aperture. It does not seem to matter if the file was opened in PS from Aperture via the open with external editor command or if it was worked on outside Aperture entirely then imported. I do have maximize compatibility in PS checked (though I understand this is only for PSD files, though perhaps I am wrong here)
any thoughts?

Layer mask brush not working

Brush won't work in Photoshop Elements 12 on layer mask. Have it set to normal, white and black brush and at 100%. It was working fine then nothing.

Best thing is to reset it and it will start working again. To reset it, click on the small down-arrow as shown in this picture:
Hope this helps.

Delete layer mask and not image?

I create a layer mask on a layer and then I duplicate the layer and I want to delete the layer mask on the duplicate layer, though keep the image part. I select the layer mask and hit delete, though it deletes everything on the layer. How can I keep the image portion of the layer?
Thanks.

There are several ways including dragging the layer mask to the trash icon
at the bottom of the layers panel (pick delete in the dialog that pops up)
or right clicking on the layer mask and choosing Delete Layer Mask.
MTSTUNER

Layer Mask Does not totally clear

PS CS2. 4 GB Ram 500 GB HD, Win Vista Home Premium.
When I create a duplicate or other layer and try to clear portions of the layer, using a mask: I do not get a clear removal. There is an outline of maybe 1 to 3% that will not clear no matter how many times I go over it. I am using 100% Opacity and 100% flow. I have been doing this for years and have never seen this problem.
The problem seems to have started by itself. But who knows?? I have been on the road for the past 4 months and recently arrived back home and started to work on my photos. Computer had been shut off while away.

Thanks for the replies:
I tried the shift, ctrl & alt keys on start up of PS2 and received a msg fm windows Vista about the PS short cut. I said OK and nothing happened.
I started PS2 and then held the shift, ctrl & alt keys while it was starting. This seemed to reset some things because the original message that comes with PS came up. But the mask problem is still there.
I went further in your instructions and found the "reset all tools". Did that. Still have the problem with my mask not clearing totally.
Any more suggestions???? Thanks, Al

White paint will not work in Layer Mask

I just installed PS CS6 and when I apply a layer mask to a layer I can paint black to hide the layer, but when painting white to restore the layer there is no effect. White paint will not restore the layer or modify the mask at all. The black paint works as usual to hide the layer, but how do I restore an area in a layer mask if not painting white?
Thanks for any help with this.
Troy

That was it. The blending mode for the brush was set to Darken which doesn't affect black, but obviously does affect white.
Thanks alot!
Troy

Layer mask brush/gradient tool not working in black.

I have cannot paint in black to conceal on a layer mask. I have "NORMAL" mode set and the foreground color is set to black. When I paint or use the gradient tool in "normal" mode with black it paints to transparent.   Before the uprade it was normal.   I have this problem on both CS6 apps pc-and-laptop. I am lost here. Can I get someone to help a brother out...
Thanks,
Kenny

Same issue, please see below:
Given:
     Photoshop 12.1 x64 on OS X 10.7
Problem:
     Painting with black and using the 'gradation tool' inside a 'white' (everything exposed) layer mask is NOT WORKING:
The facts:
     1) Using a black-to-white gradation in a white layer mask is not working.
     2) Using a black-to-transparent gradation in a white layer mask is not working.
     3) But, a using a white-to-black gradation in a black layer mask is working.
     4) or, using a white-to-transparent gradation in a black layer mask is working.
This used-to work. Shall we keep an eye out for a fix or is Adobe going to back-out this bug from the update that broke this?

Layer Mask Issue, please help.

Hi,
My layer mask is not working, not sure what's happening. I'm using CS 4 . i want to use blending effect so i place the photos on a white background. I click layer mask on each photo, select brush tool brush on the photo but is not working, is either appear black or white color when i use the brush paint on it. If not wrong, the foreground color should be grey & white in layer mask function but it appear black & white instead. Please see the screenshot below. Please help, thank you

Hi, I will try explain your problem.
In your posted example we can see see that you have three layers in the layers panel.
On each one of layers, we can see, on the left side, that there is the Layer Thumbnail, that is a showing the actual image of your layer and then a Layer Mask Thumbnail (the white rectangle, on the right side).
A layer mask works as follows: you tell Photoshop to display or hide actual parts (pixels) of the layer with greyscale values. A white pixel on the layer masks tells Photoshop to show the image area at full opacity (non-transparent), while a black pixel on the layer mask tells Photoshop to hide the layer totally (0% of opacity.) Gray values will therefore show the image data partially.
But you are painting on the document, and you need to indicate Photoshop whether you want to paint on the image (what you did in your example, and you do not desire) or if you want to paint on the layer mask (what you want to do). This indication is called Targeting. It is done simply by clicking either on the Layer thumbnail, or on the Layer mask thumbnail of your layer. (Clicking different areas of a layer in the layer palette are different orders you give to the program). For instance, if you want to switch the layer you are hiding to another one, in order to paint on its mask, make sure to click on the layer mask thumbnail of the other layer in the Layers Panel.
In Photoshop CS5.5 and earlier, you will see that a layer or its mask is targeted because there will be three outlines around it: a black, a white and a black one again, like the actual layer data in the highlighted layer 0928 of your image. You should see those three outlines around the layer mask in order to paint on it.
In CS6, the target indicator is different, look in my image, we can see that the layer mask is targeted thanks to the white corners: I was then able to mask part of the black layer by targeting the Layer Mask in the layer panel, and then painting on the image where I want to hide the layer.
If you want to modify the actual layer (the photos, in your case), simply click on its thumbnail, and you are good to go!
Hope this helps.
See these help documents: Layes Basics: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/photoshop/cs/using/WSfd1234e1c4b69f30ea53e41001031ab64-78e3a.h tml
Layer masks: http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/masking-layers.html
Some search results for "Layer Masks Basics" in Photoshop help: http://community.adobe.com/help/search.html?q=layer+mask+basics&x=0&y=0&lbl=photoshop_prod uct_adobelr&hl=en_US&lr=en_US&self=0&area=0
(It is one of the best ways to search for tutorials or help files)
Pierre

Bug report: [layer mask] editing colors

Sometimes it appears that the white/black color combination that is automatically selected in layer mask editing may override the selected color combination outside of layer mask editing.
Example:
1) Open Photoshop.
2) Select two colors: white/white.
3) Create two blank documents, each with an empty Layer 1.
4) In one document, add a layer mask to Layer 1. The colors should have been automatically switched to black/white as the layer mask is selected.
5) In this document, use the gradient tool to fill the layer mask with black/white.
6) Switch to the other document, and notice that the color selection is again white/white.
7) In this other document, use the gradient tool to fill Layer 1. Notice that the layer is filled with black/white instead of white/white as selected.
Tested on: PS CS6, Windows 7, 64-bit.

On further testing I think the issue may not be directly related to layer masks at all.
Basically the issue is that the Gradient tool colors don't update to the 'default foreground/background colors' in cases where it seems that they should.
One example of such a case (as illustrated in the original post) is when the Gradient tool keeps the black/white color combo used for a layer mask in a previous document after switching to the current document where a non-masked layer is targeted and the default fg/bg colors have correctly reverted to white/white.
Example:
layer mask targeted in doc1 - notice synchronised Gradient and default fg/bg colors
after switching to non-masked layer in doc2, Gradient is still black/white although default fg/bg colors have reverted appropriately to white/white
Bug or not, it's something I wanted to point out as it seems inconsistent.

Puppet Warp - ignore unlinked layer mask

When I am using puppet warp to transform a layer with an unlinked layer mask, the layer mask does not remain in place, it is being warped along with the layer I am working on. This seems to be a bug since the normal transform tools allow the layers to be modified without affecting the mask while it is unlinked.
Grouping the layer by itself and putting the layer mask on the group while I'm using puppet warp to transform the layer works fine and is really not that inconvenient I suppose.
The image I am working on is a large scan of an old map with 12 pages, I'm basically trying to line up all the pages into a seamless image, and so each layer has a mask to hide the margins of each page. I really don't want to have to create a group for each layer just to have each mask stay in place while I'm adjusting the pages. I also do not want to "erase" the margins by applying the layer masks before using puppet warp.
Is this something that will be "fixed" in Photoshop?

I think Puppet Warp is intended to include transparency in the form of Layer Masks, so it seems unlikely that this behaviour will be changed.
You could temporarily turn off the Layer Masks by shift-clicking them.
If you want to make a Feature Request, please post over at
http://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/

Layer Mask Transparency not White

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