How Do I Change the Canvas Format in Photoshop?

To change the canvas size in Photoshop, use the "Canvas Size" option in the Image menu. Here's how:

Steps to Change Canvas Size:

1. Open your image in Photoshop.

2. Access the "Canvas Size" dialog box. You can do this in two ways:

   • Method 1: Menu Bar

     • Click on "Image" in the menu bar at the top of the Photoshop interface.
     • Select "Canvas Size" from the dropdown menu.

   • Method 2: Keyboard Shortcut

     • Press Alt + Ctrl + C (Windows) or Option + Command + C (Mac).

3. Enter the new dimensions. In the "Canvas Size" dialog box, you'll see fields for width and height. Enter the desired values.

4. Anchor the image. The "Anchor" grid determines which part of the existing image remains visible when the canvas is resized. By default, the image is centered. Click on a square in the grid to specify a different anchor point. The surrounding area of your image will be adjusted based on this anchor.

5. Choose a Canvas extension color: Use the Canvas extension color option to choose a color to fill newly exposed canvas areas. You can select the foreground or background color, a custom color, or even transparency.

6. Click "OK." Photoshop will resize the canvas according to your specifications.

Important Considerations:

• Units: Ensure you are using the correct units (pixels, inches, centimeters, etc.) in the "Canvas Size" dialog box. Change the unit by clicking the drop-down menu next to the width and height values.

• Relative Checkbox: If you check the "Relative" checkbox, Photoshop will add or subtract the entered values from the current canvas size instead of setting an absolute size. For example, entering "1" in both Width and Height will add one unit to each dimension.

• Resampling: Changing canvas size doesn't resample your image. It only affects the size of the surrounding canvas. If you need to resize the image itself, use the "Image Size" option (Image > Image Size or Alt + Ctrl + I / Option + Command + I).

• Content-Aware Fill: If you've expanded the canvas, consider using Content-Aware Fill (Edit > Fill > Content-Aware) to intelligently fill the newly created areas with relevant content based on the surrounding pixels. This is helpful for extending backgrounds or removing unwanted objects.

By following these steps, you can easily adjust the canvas size in Photoshop to suit your specific needs.