There are several ways to copy an image layer in Photoshop:
1. Using the Layers Panel (Drag and Drop):
- Within the same document: Simply click and drag the layer you want to copy in the Layers panel. Hold down the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (Mac) while dragging. This will create a duplicate of the layer as you drag it. Release the mouse button to place the copied layer.
- To another open document: Make sure both Photoshop documents are open. Click and drag the layer from the Layers panel of the source document directly into the Layers panel of the destination document.
2. Using the Layers Panel (Right-Click):
- In the Layers panel, right-click on the layer you want to copy.
- Select "Duplicate Layer..." from the context menu.
- A dialog box will appear. Choose the destination for the copied layer:
- Document: Select the document where you want to copy the layer. You can choose the current document to create a copy within the same file, or select another open document.
- Name: You can also specify a name for the new layer in this dialog box.
- Click "OK" to create the copy.
3. Using Keyboard Shortcuts:
- Select the layer you want to copy in the Layers panel.
- Press Ctrl + J (Windows) or Cmd + J (Mac) to duplicate the layer. This creates a copy of the layer directly above the original layer in the Layers panel of the current document.
4. Copying and Pasting:
- Select the layer you want to copy.
- Go to Edit > Copy (or press Ctrl + C (Windows) or Cmd + C (Mac)).
- Go to the destination document (or within the same document).
- Go to Edit > Paste (or press Ctrl + V (Windows) or Cmd + V (Mac)). This will paste the layer into the center of the document window. If you want to paste it in place (meaning the same coordinates as in the original document), use Edit > Paste Special > Paste in Place.
5. Copying a Group of Layers:
The right-click method described in section 2 also works on layer groups. Right-click the layer group in the layers panel and select "Duplicate Group...".
These methods allow you to efficiently copy layers within the same Photoshop document or transfer them to other open documents, giving you flexibility in your editing workflow.
