How do you add a white border in Photoshop Elements?

You can add a white border in Photoshop Elements by using a Solid Color fill layer. Here's how:

1. Open your image: Launch Photoshop Elements and open the image you want to add the border to.

2. Access the Layers Panel: Ensure the Layers panel is visible. If not, go to Window > Layers.

3. Create a Solid Color Fill Layer: At the bottom of the Layers panel, click the "Create a New Fill or Adjustment Layer" icon (it looks like a half-white/half-black circle). Select "Solid Color..." from the menu.

4. Choose White: In the Color Picker dialog box, choose white as the color. If white is already selected, click OK. This will create a new layer filled entirely with white, covering your image. Don't worry! We'll fix that next.

5. Resize the White Layer: This is the crucial step. You need to make the white layer smaller than your image, so it appears as a border. There are a couple ways to do this, depending on your desired effect and the version of Photoshop Elements you're using:

   • Using the Move Tool and Transform:

     1. Select the Move Tool (the arrow icon).
     2. Make sure the white fill layer is selected in the Layers panel.
     3. Enable "Show Bounding Box" if it's not already enabled (View > Show Bounding Box).
     4. You should now see handles on the corners and sides of the white layer. Hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) key while dragging one of the corner handles inward. Holding Alt/Option ensures that the scaling is centered. Drag until you achieve the desired border thickness. Press Enter to commit the transformation. This is usually the easiest method.

   • Adding a Stroke to the Image Layer: This method essentially creates an outline, making it a border.

     1. Select the original image layer in the Layers panel (not the Solid Color fill layer).
     2. Go to Layer > Layer Style > Style Settings.
     3. Select "Stroke" and check the box next to it.
     4. In the Stroke settings:
        • Set the Color to white.
        • Adjust the Size (in pixels) to control the border thickness.
        • The Position should be set to "Outside".
     5. Click OK.

6. Alternative method: Add an "Inner Glow" effect, set to white, with size and choke to define a border. The image should be selected and the fill transparency set to zero.

7. Adjust the Border: You can fine-tune the border by adjusting the size of the Solid Color layer or the Stroke settings.

8. Save Your Work: Go to File > Save As and save your image in the desired format (e.g., JPEG, PNG).

These steps provide a simple way to add a white border to your images using Photoshop Elements. Experiment with the different methods and settings to achieve the exact look you want!