To quickly turn on the visibility of all layers in Photoshop, Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (Win) the eye icon of any layer that is currently visible.
Understanding how to manage layer visibility is fundamental in Photoshop workflows. While you might individually click each eye icon to hide or show layers, Photoshop offers a powerful shortcut to manage multiple layers simultaneously, directly referenced in Adobe documentation.
Using the Eye Icon Shortcut
The most efficient way to make all hidden layers visible at once is by using a simple keyboard modifier combined with a click on the eye icon in the Layers panel.
- Locate the Layers panel.
- Find a layer that is currently visible (its eye icon is showing).
- Hold down the Option key (on a Mac) or the Alt key (on a Windows PC).
- While holding the modifier key, click on the eye icon of the visible layer.
What happens: Performing this action will toggle the visibility of all other layers in your document. If most layers were hidden and only a few were visible, Option/Alt-clicking the eye icon of one of the visible layers will instantly turn on all the layers that were previously hidden. Doing the same action again will hide all layers except the one you clicked.
This shortcut is based on the principle described: "Option -click (Mac) | Alt -click (Win) the eye icon in the Layers panel to toggle visibility of all other layers."
Toggling Selected Layer Visibility
The reference also mentions a shortcut for managing the visibility of layers you have specifically selected:
- Select the layer(s) you want to toggle visibility for in the Layers panel.
- Press Command + “,” (comma) (on a Mac).
- Press Control + “,” (comma) (on a Windows PC).
This shortcut "Command + “,” (comma) (Mac) | Control + “,” (comma) (Win) toggles the visibility of the currently selected layer(s)." While useful for specific layers, it doesn't automatically turn all* layers on unless you select them all first, which can be less efficient than the Option/Alt-click method for revealing everything.
Summary Table
Here's a quick reference for the visibility shortcuts mentioned:
| Action | Mac Shortcut | Windows Shortcut | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toggle visibility of all other layers | Option + Click Eye Icon | Alt + Click Eye Icon | Turns all previously hidden layers ON (if clicking a visible layer), or turns all other layers OFF (if clicking a visible layer again). |
| Toggle visibility of selected layers | Command + , | Control + , | Turns selected layers ON or OFF. |
By utilizing the Option/Alt-click shortcut on a visible layer's eye icon, you can quickly reveal all layers in your Photoshop document, streamlining your workflow.
