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Record repetitive edits so that you can save time.

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Quick reference

Topic Tool Recording

Record repetitive edits so that you can save time.

When to use

Learn how to record your photo editing actions so that you preform the same edit later with just one click.  Good for preparing photos for catalogues or the web, but also for preparing videos of the actions being performed.

Instructions

From the Actions Panel

  1. If you don't see your actions panel on the right side you work space activate it under the Window menu at the top your screen.
  2. Reveal the options by pressing the small button at the top.
  3. Check on the 'Allow Tool Recording' option.
  4. Select the 'Create New Action' button and name the action.

Record your Actions

  1. Press ‘Record’ and the actions recorded will include paint strokes, effects, adding layers, cropping, adjustments etc.
  2. You will be able to see each actions created on the actions panel.
  3. Press stop.

Playback you Actions

  1. With the action selected, press the play button.
  2. To slow it down, go to the panel menu and the ‘Playback Options’. Select step by step and the time between each action. 
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  • 00:04 Along with some of the bigger features that are being introduced with
  • 00:08 Photoshop CS 6, Adobe has also included a ton of JDIs, which stands for Just Do It.
  • 00:13 These are smaller features that have been heavily requested by
  • 00:16 the Photoshop community.
  • 00:17 This video will demo one of those features to a recording within actions.
  • 00:22 In previous versions of Photoshop, actions would allow you to record certain steps of
  • 00:26 your edit so you can quickly apply the same process to other documents.
  • 00:31 You were able to record steps, such as adjustments, shape creation, and
  • 00:35 layer management.
  • 00:36 However, users have been asking for
  • 00:38 more options, especially when it comes to brushes.
  • 00:41 In Photoshop CS 6, you now have the option to allow tool recording in your actions.
  • 00:46 Let's take a look.
  • 00:47 If you don't see your Actions panel on the right side of your work space,
  • 00:51 activate it under the window menu at the top of your screen.
  • 00:54 Once it's visible, you can hide or show it by pressing the play icon on the right.
  • 00:58 Now, just like most panels on Photoshop,
  • 01:00 there are hidden options within the panel's menu.
  • 01:03 This menu can be expanded by pressing the small button at
  • 01:06 the top right corner of the panel.
  • 01:08 About halfway down this menu, we have the new allow tool recording option.
  • 01:12 Checking this on will tell Photoshop to include steps, such as brush strokes,
  • 01:15 in your action.
  • 01:17 Now, we can create a new action.
  • 01:19 At the bottom of your Actions panel,
  • 01:20 pressing the Create New Action button will initiate the new action.
  • 01:24 Once you enter a name and
  • 01:25 press record, everything that you do will be recorded, including brush strokes.
  • 01:29 If you keep an eye on the Actions panel,
  • 01:31 you'll notice that each time I release my mouse, a new step is being created.
  • 01:35 Now obviously I'm not the best artist, but for artists that are looking to
  • 01:38 record their masterpieces, this is a fantastic addition to Photoshop.
  • 01:42 Once you have finished your recording,
  • 01:44 you can play back the exact steps that you took to create the design.
  • 01:47 Clearing what is currently on our document, pressing the play button with
  • 01:50 our new action selected will play back what was just created.
  • 01:54 Now, you may have noticed that our design zipped by pretty quickly.
  • 01:57 If you are simply looking to duplicate your design, this is probably fine,
  • 02:01 however if you want to view each step, we can also do that too.
  • 02:04 Back under the hidden menu, hop into your Playback Options.
  • 02:08 What we just saw was the accelerated playback.
  • 02:11 To slow things down, turn on Step by Step.
  • 02:14 You can also choose the Pause for
  • 02:15 a certain amount of seconds after each step if you wish.
  • 02:18 Now, playing our action, each step is played back at a normal pace.
  • 02:22 Many action creators and
  • 02:23 artists are gonna love this new JDI now available in Photoshop CS6.

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