Tool presets in Photoshop allow you to save and quickly apply specific configurations for your tools, streamlining your workflow. Here's how to use them:
1. Accessing the Tool Presets Panel:
- Go to Window > Tool Presets in the Photoshop menu bar. This will open the Tool Presets panel.
2. Selecting a Tool Preset:
- The Tool Presets panel displays a list of available presets. Simply click on a preset name to apply its settings to the currently selected tool. For example, if you have the Brush tool selected and click on a preset named "Soft Round 30px," your Brush tool will automatically be configured with those settings.
3. Saving a Tool Preset:
- Configure your tool: First, select the tool you want to create a preset for (e.g., Brush, Eraser, Clone Stamp). Adjust all the settings in the Options bar (e.g., size, hardness, opacity, flow, blending mode) to your desired configuration.
- Create the preset: Click the "Create new tool preset" icon (looks like a small page with a turned-down corner) at the bottom of the Tool Presets panel.
- Name your preset: A dialog box will appear, allowing you to name your preset. Give it a descriptive name so you can easily identify it later. Click "OK".
4. Managing Tool Presets:
- Deleting a Preset: Select the preset in the Tool Presets panel and click the Delete icon (trash can) at the bottom.
- Renaming a Preset: Double-click the preset name in the Tool Presets panel to edit it.
- Organizing Presets: While you can't create folders within the Tool Presets panel itself, you can use the Preset Manager to organize and manage your presets.
- Accessing the Preset Manager: Go to Edit > Presets > Preset Manager. In the Preset Manager, choose "Tool Presets" from the "Preset Type" dropdown. Here, you can rename, delete, and organize presets.
5. Importing and Exporting Tool Presets:
- Exporting: In the Preset Manager, select the presets you want to export. Click "Save Set..." and choose a location to save the .tpl file. This file contains your selected presets.
- Importing: In the Tool Presets panel, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner. Select "Load Tool Presets..." and choose the .tpl file you want to import.
6. Tool Presets Panel Options:
Clicking the menu icon in the top-right of the Tool Presets panel offers options like:
- New Tool Preset: Creates a new preset based on the current tool settings (same as the icon at the bottom).
- Rename Tool Preset: Renames the selected preset.
- Delete Tool Preset: Deletes the selected preset (same as the icon at the bottom).
- Load Tool Presets...: Imports a .tpl file of tool presets.
- Save Tool Presets...: Saves the selected preset as a .tpl file.
- Replace Tool Presets...: Replaces all current tool presets with those in a .tpl file.
- Reset Tool Presets: Resets to the default tool presets.
- Load Default Tool Presets: Loads the original default tool presets.
- Preset Manager...: Opens the Preset Manager for more comprehensive management.
- Show Tool Tips: Enables or disables tool tips.
- Text Only/Small List/Large List/Small Thumbnail/Large Thumbnail: Changes the display style of the Tool Presets panel.
Using tool presets effectively can significantly improve your workflow speed and consistency in Photoshop.
