Name

Description

File

The File menu contains options to create new images, load existing images, save images, acquire images from scanners, print images, automate functions, set colour settings and exit the program.

Edit

The Edit menu contains options to copy, cut, and paste entire images or parts of images, fill areas of an image, create strokes or outlines around around image elements, transform or modify images and set preferences.

Image

The Image menu contains options to modify colour depth or mode, manipulate or adjust colour and other image properties, modify image size, canvas size and orientation, examine colour information and extract areas of an image from backgrounds.

Layer

This menu contains options to modify and manipulate layers. (Layers are covered in depth later.) To summarize, a Photoshop image can contain a number of separate levels, or layers, that contain image information.

Select

The Select menu contains options to create, modify and manipulate Photoshop's selections. Selections are areas of an image that you choose to isolate from the rest of the image. For example, you might want to isolate a person's eyes to change the colour without affecting the rest of the image.

Filter

Filters, or special effects, are contained in this menu. Applying a filter to an image will modify the image based on the filter's predefined instructions. Examples of some filter effects: blurring, sharpening, distorting, and applying brush strokes or textures to an image.

View

The View menu contains options to change your view of an image; e.g., zooming in and out or displaying how the image might look when printed or viewed on another computer. This menu also houses the ability to show/hide rulers and guides, which will aid in editing your images.

window

Window contains options to show/hide the Toolbox and palettes, as well as options to organize images within Photoshop's workspace.

Help

Online help, information about plug-ins and information about the version of Photoshop you're using are located in this menu. Use Help Topics for reference or to find out how to accomplish objectives you might be having problems with.