How do you select all the type on one layer in Photoshop?

To select all the type on a single layer in Photoshop, hold down the Command key (or Ctrl key on Windows) and click on the layer's name in the Layers panel. This will create a selection around all the content, including the type, on that specific layer.
This process effectively loads the layer's transparency as a selection. Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Steps:

1. Open your Photoshop document: Ensure the document containing the layer with the type you want to select is open.
2. Locate the Layers Panel: This is typically found on the right side of the Photoshop interface. If you can't see it, go to Window > Layers to make it visible.
3. Identify the Type Layer: Find the specific layer in the Layers panel that contains the type you wish to select. Make sure it is a type layer; otherwise, it won't work.
4. Command/Control-Click the Layer: Hold down the Command key (macOS) or Ctrl key (Windows) and click directly on the thumbnail of the type layer in the Layers panel, not just anywhere on the layer.
5. Selection Created: Photoshop will now create a selection outlining the boundaries of all the type (and any other content) on that layer. You'll see the "marching ants" indicating the active selection.

Why this works:

• This technique leverages Photoshop's ability to load a layer's transparency as a selection. When you Command/Ctrl-click a layer's thumbnail, Photoshop interprets the opaque areas (where the type is) as the area to be selected.

What you can do with the selection:

Once you have the type selected, you can perform various actions:

• Change the color: Fill the selection with a new color using the Paint Bucket Tool or by going to Edit > Fill.
• Move the type: Use the Move Tool (V) to reposition the selected type.
• Apply a style: Add layer styles such as drop shadows, strokes, or glows to the selected type.
• Delete the type: Press the Delete key to remove the selected type from the layer.
• Create a mask: You can use the selection to create a layer mask on another layer.

Example:

Imagine you have a layer named "Headline Text" containing several words of text. By Command/Ctrl-clicking the "Headline Text" layer's thumbnail, Photoshop will create a selection that outlines all the words in your headline. You could then change the color of the entire headline at once.