Photoshop / Create Smart Objects

To the top

To the top

About Smart Objects

Create Smart Objects

Duplicate a Smart Object

Edit the content of a Smart Object

Replace the contents of a Smart Object

Export the contents of a Smart Object

Convert a Smart Object to a layer

About Smart Objects

Smart Objects are layers that contain image data from raster or vector images, such as Photoshop

or Illustrator files. Smart Objects preserve an images source content with all its original

characteristics, enabling you to perform nondestructive editing to the layer.

You can create Smart objects using several methods: by using the Open As Smart Object

command; placing a file, pasting data from Illustrator; or converting one or more Photoshop layers

to Smart Objects.

With Smart Objects, you can:

Perform nondestructive transforms. You can scale, rotate, skew, distort, perspective transform,

or warp a layer without losing original image data or quality because the transforms dont

affect the original data.

Work with vector data, such as vector artwork from Illustrator, that otherwise would be

rasterized in Photoshop.

Perform nondestructive filtering. You can edit filters applied to Smart Objects at any time.

Edit one Smart Object and automatically update all its linked instances.

Apply a layer mask thats either linked or unlinked to the Smart Object layer.

Try various designs with low-resolution placeholder images that you later replace with final

versions.

You cant perform operations that alter pixel datasuch as painting, dodging, burning, or cloning

directly to a Smart Object layer, unless it is first converted into a regular layer, which will be

rasterized. To perform operations that alter pixel data, you can edit the contents of a Smart Object,

clone a new layer above the Smart Object layer, edit duplicates of the Smart Object, or create a new

layer.

Note: When you transform a Smart Object that has a Smart Filter applied to it, Photoshop turns

off filter effects while the transform is being performed. Filter effects are applied again after the

transform is complete. See About Smart Filters.

Regular layer and Smart Object in Layers panel. Icon in lower right corner of thumbnail indicates

Smart Object.

Create Smart Objects

Adobe recommends

Quick, nondestructive transformations with Smart Objects by Michael Ninness

Resize and scale images without losingquality.

Contribute your expertise toAdobe Community Help

To the top

To the top

Do any of the following:

Choose File > Open As Smart Object, select a file, and click Open.

Choose File > Place to import files as Smart Objects into an open Photoshop document.

Although you can place JPEG files, it's better to place PSD, TIFF, or PSB files because you can

add layers, modify pixels, and resave the file without loss. (Saving a modified JPEG file requires

you to flatten new layers and recompress the image, causing image quality degradation).

Choose Layer > Smart Object > Convert to Smart Object to convert a selected layer into a

Smart Object.

In Bridge, choose File > Place > In Photoshop to import a file as a Smart Object into an open

Photoshop document.

An easy way to work with camera raw files is to open them as Smart Objects. You can

double-click the Smart Object layer containing the raw file at any time to adjust the Camera

Raw settings.

Select one or more layers and choose Layer > Smart Objects > Convert To Smart Object. The

layers are bundled into one Smart Object.

Drag PDF or Adobe Illustrator layers or objects into a Photoshop document.

Paste artwork from Illustrator into a Photoshop document, and choose Smart Object in the

Paste dialog box. For the greatest flexibility, enable both PDF and AICB (No Transparency

Support) in the File Handling & Clipboard section of the Preferences dialog box in Adobe

Illustrator.

Duplicate a Smart Object

In the Layers panel, select a Smart Object layer, and do one of the following:

To create a duplicate Smart Object that is linked to the original, choose Layer > New > Layer Via

Copy, or drag the Smart Object layer to the Create A New Layer icon at the bottom of the

Layers panel. Edits you make to the original affect the copy and vice versa.

To create a duplicate Smart Object that isnt linked to the original, choose Layer > Smart

Objects > New Smart Object Via Copy. Edits you make to the original dont affect the copy.

A new Smart Object appears in the Layers panel with the same name as the original and copy as a

suffix.

Edit the content of a Smart Object

When you edit a Smart Object, the source content is opened in either Photoshop (if the content is

raster data or a camera raw file) or Illustrator (if the content is vector PDF). When you save changes

to the source content, the edits appear in all linked instances of the Smart Object in the Photoshop

document.

1. Select the Smart Object from the Layers panel, and do one of the following:

Choose Layer > Smart Objects > Edit Contents.

Double-click the Smart Objects thumbnail in the Layers panel.

2. Click OK to close the dialog box.

To the top

To the top

To the top

3. Make edits to the source content file, then choose File > Save.

Photoshop updates the Smart Object to reflect the changes you made. (If you dont see the

changes, make the Photoshop document containing the Smart Object active).

Replace the contents of a Smart Object

You can replace the image data in one Smart Object or multiple linked instances. This feature lets

you quickly update a visual design, or replace low-resolution placeholder images with final

versions.

Note: When you replace a Smart Object, any scaling, warping, or effects that you applied to the

first Smart Object are maintained.

1. Select the Smart Object, and choose Layer > Smart Objects > Replace Contents.

2. Navigate to the file you want to use, and click Place.

3. Click OK.

The new content is placed in the Smart Object. Linked Smart Objects are also updated.

Export the contents of a Smart Object

1. Select the Smart Object from the Layers panel, and choose Layer > Smart Objects > Export

Contents.

2. Choose a location for the contents of the Smart Object, then click Save.

Photoshop exports the Smart Object in its original placed format (JPEG, AI, TIF, PDF, or other

formats). If the Smart Object was created from layers, it is exported in PSB format.

Convert a Smart Object to a layer

Converting a Smart Object to a regular layer rasterizes the content at the current size. Convert a

Smart Object to a regular layer only if you no longer need to edit the Smart Object data.

Transforms, warps, and filters applied to a Smart Object are no longer editable after the Smart

Object is rasterized.

Select the Smart Object, and choose Layer > Rasterize > Smart Object.

If you want to re-create the Smart Object, reselect its original layers and start from scratch. The

new Smart Object wont retain transforms you applied to the original Smart Object.

More Help topics

Place a file in Photoshop

Paste Adobe Illustrator art into Photoshop

Nondestructive editing

Discuss This Page

Twitter and Facebook posts are not covered under the terms of Creative Commons.

Legal Notices | Online Privacy Policy