A smart object is basically a shortcut or a reference to some original data so you have an external file which appears in a layer in your photoshop document but remains in its original place. If you subsequently change the original image any references to it in you new photoshop document will reflect the changes. Smart objects will be covered in our Beginners Photoshop Training training course in Brighton, Sussex.
You can convert one or any number of layers into a smart object in your active photoshop document.
Smart objects are created automatically when you place an Illustrator, raw or another Photoshop image into your document.
If you double-click the thumbnail for a Smart Object, the embedded (original) file opens.
Any edits you make on the open file will update automatically in your new document when you save the external or referenced file. You can reference the original file many times in your psd and all instances of it will update.
To create a Smart Object, do one of the following:
- Select one or more layers from the Layers panel
- Right-click (Mac: Ctrl-click) the while the layer or layers are selected and choose Convert to Smart Object
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