Discover how to deselect in Adobe Photoshop with 7 easy techniques to deselect in Photoshop. Utilize the shortcut key Cmd+D on Mac or Ctrl+D on Windows.
Photoshop gives you different selection tools to isolate or cut out objects from their background. Sometimes, you need to deselect the selection for a more precise selection and give a professional outlook. So, how do you deselect in Photoshop? You can do this through 7 easy & simple Photoshop deselection techniques to deselect objects in Photoshop: keyboard shortcut, menu bar, Pen tool, Quick Selection tool, Rectangular Marquee tool, Object Selection tool, and Lasso tool. Without more delay, let’s get started!
What Is Deselecting in Photoshop?
In Photoshop, deselecting refers to removing active selections from an image. The key purpose of deselection is making adjustments, changing selections, and so on. The shortcut key for deselection is Ctrl/Cmd + D (Windows or Mac). Once you select, you can isolate the subject, make different edits, or adjust to that specific area. And when you deselect, you cancel any selection you’ve made, so no part of the image remains selected.
In short, you need to deselect in Photoshop when:
- You’ve finished editing a selected area and want to work on other parts of your image.
- You want to make global adjustments – not just the selected portion.
- You select the wrong area and want to start over.
- You need to use tools (like Eraser) that won’t work properly with an active selection.
When Do You Need to Deselect in Adobe Photoshop?
You need to deselect in Adobe Photoshop to remove unintended changes or areas from an image. The key purposes of deselection are:
- To start a new selection: After completing a selection, deselecting removes the active selection so you can create a new one without interference.
- To apply effects or edits to the entire image: If you want to edit the whole image rather than just the selected area, deselecting removes the selection boundary and lets you work freely on the full canvas.
- To use tools that don’t work with active selections: Some tools, like the Brush or Eraser, don’t function properly if a selection is active, so deselecting is necessary to use them.
- To refine or subtract parts of a selection: You might deselect part of an active selection to fine-tune it by holding Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) while using a selection tool to subtract areas.
- To avoid accidental edits confined to a selection: Deselecting prevents unintended changes limited to the selected area, ensuring edits apply globally or to other parts of the image.
How to Deselect in Photoshop?
You can deselect in Photoshop in several ways, including keyboard shortcuts, the Pen tool, the Quick Selection tool, and so on.
Method 1: How Do You Deselect Objects Using Keyboard Shortcut
The easy and effective way to deselect object selection without any interruption is to use the deselect shortcut key (Ctrl/Cmd+D). However, if you’re a mouse lover, you can utilize another quick method, the “Right-click” method. Simply, right-click anywhere inside the selected area and select the Deselect option. Also, you can deselect using the Layers Panel by clicking on a space within the panel.
Method 2: How to Deselect Using the Deselect Command in the Menu
Use the top menu bar of Adobe Photoshop. With an active selection, go to the top menu bar. Click on Select -> Deselect (from the dropdown menu). This will clear the current selection. Or you can simply click the “deselect” button.
Method 3: How to Deselect in Photoshop through the Pen Tool
To deselect a selection made with the Pen tool in Photoshop, you can use different methods, including:
Step 1: Create a selection using the Pen tool.
Get access to the Pen tool by hitting the keyboard key “P” and setting the necessary settings. After that, set the first anchor point by clicking on the canvas and adding more to expand the path. Complete the path by dragging the curves and lines to make the desired shape.
Step 2: Deselect the selection.
If you’re not satisfied with the path creation, you can deselect the path and start again by using the keyboard shortcut or other deselection techniques.
Step 3: Other considerations.
If you need to refine your selection further, you can use the Quick Mask mode (press Q) and paint with a brush to add or subtract from the selection.
Method 4: How to Deselect using the Lasso Tool.
The Lasso tool in Photoshop allows you to select areas of an image by drawing a freehand selection around them. It’s a versatile tool for precise selection-making. There are 3 types of lasso tools in Photoshop: the standard/original lasso tool, the polygonal lasso, and the magnetic lasso.
Step 1: Create a selection with a Lasso tool.
Select the Lasso tool (keyboard shortcut key: “L”) in Photoshop to isolate a subject from its background. Simply, hold and drag to outline the shape of your selection to cut out objects from an image.
Step 2: Deselect the selection.
You might notice the selection requires modification for edge-to-edge cutting. Deselect it using the keyboard shortcut key: Ctrl+D (Windows) and Cmd+D (Mac) or use the menu bar Select > Deselect.
Step 3: Start with the New Selection.
To add your current selection, hold Shift, and for subtracting, hold the Alt or Option key. All these options allow you to make precise selection edits.
Method 5: How to Deselect an Object Using the Marquee Tool.
Photoshop’s marquee tool is used to select rectangular, elliptical, single-row, or single-column shapes. Photo editing experts cut, copy, paste, and apply adjustments or filters to only selected areas using this tool.
Step 1: Marquee tool selection.
Press the “M” keyboard shortcut or find it from the Photoshop toolbar. Choose from four different options:
- Rectangular Marquee tool – ideal for selecting squares or rectangles
- Elliptical Marquee tool – best for the selection of circles or ovals
- Single Row Marquee – helpful in selecting a single row of pixels
- Single Column marquee – good for selecting a single column of pixels
We use the Rectangular Marquee tool to select the object.
Step 2: Deselect the selection.
You might notice the selection requires modification for edge-to-edge cutting. Deselect it using the keyboard shortcut key: Ctrl+D (Windows) and Cmd+D (Mac) or use the menu bar Select > Deselect.
Step 3: Start with the New Selection.
To add your current selection, hold Shift, and for subtracting, hold the Alt or Option key. All these options allow you to make precise selection edits.
Method 6: How to Deselect the Object Selection Tool in Photoshop
Photoshop’s Object Selection is an effective tool for isolating objects or regions within an image for further editing or manipulation. It uses a machine learning model to identify objects based on their contrast and other features. If the selection requires modification, you can deselect the selection.
Step 1: Create a selection with the Object Selection tool.
You can use the Object Selection tool shortcut key: W to get access to this tool. After that, select the object that creates a dotted line like the image below.
Step 2: Deselect the selection.
You might notice we’ve selected the toner bottle’s lower portion unintentionally. So, to select the product precisely, deselect it using the keyboard shortcut key: Ctrl+D (Windows) and Cmd+D (Mac) or use the menu bar Select > Deselect.
Step 3: Other considerations.
If you need to refine your selection further, you can use the Quick Mask mode (press Q) and paint with a brush to add or subtract from the selection.
Step 4: Add or Subtract from Selection.
For adding, hold down the Shift key while selecting additional objects. For subtracting, hold down the Option (macOS) or Alt (Windows) key while selecting objects to remove them from the selection.
Method 7: How to Deselect the Quick Selection Tool in Photoshop
You can deselect an object after selecting it with the Quick Selection tool. The process is given below:
Step 1: Create a selection using a Quick Selection tool.
You can select an object using a Quick Selection tool in Photoshop to place it in a transparent background, change the background color, or apply other effects like the picture shown below.
Step 2: Deselect the selection.
You might notice we’ve selected the toner bottle’s lower portion unintentionally. So, to select the product precisely, deselect it using the keyboard shortcut key: Ctrl+D (Windows) and Cmd+D (Mac) or use the menu bar Select > Deselect.
Step 3: Other considerations.
If you need to refine your selection further, you can use the Quick Mask mode (press Q) and paint with a brush to add or subtract from the selection.
7 Important Considerations When Deselecting in Photoshop
When deselecting in Photoshop, it’s crucial to remove the selection perfectly to prevent unintended edits. The 7 important considerations when deselecting in Photoshop are:
- Use the Shortcut.
The most effective way to deselect is to use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Cmd+D.
- Confirm your selection purpose before deselecting.
Before using the deselection shortcut key or utilizing another deselection method, ensure you’ve reviewed your selection.
- Save or store complex selections.
For intricate selections, consider saving them as alpha channels or duplicating the selection to a new layer before deselecting.
- Refine edges.
Use the “Refine Edge” tool in the Select and Mask workspace if your selection needs refining.
- Selection tools.
If you work on complex, detailed products, like jewelry, use the Quick Mask mode by pressing “Q”. This allows you to refine edges or selections visually.
- Combine selections before deselecting.
If you’ve multiple selections and want to combine them before deselecting, you can –
- Add to selection
- Subtract from selection
- Intersect selections
- Practice non-destructive workflows.
Use Layer Masks, Smart Objects, and Adjustment Layers to work non-destructively.
FAQs
Why would you need to deselect?
You need to deselect an area or object when you’ve selected something mistakenly and now want to remove that selection. Some other reasons are: to perform global adjustments, to refine a selection, to remove a selection after a task, and so on.
What are selection tools in Photoshop?
The selection tools in Photoshop allow you to isolate specific areas or objects of an image so you can make edits to those areas without affecting the rest of the image. Some common selection tools are the Quick Selection tool, Marquee tool, Lasso tool, Object Selection tool, and so on.
What is the Photoshop deselect shortcut key?
The Photoshop deselect shortcut key is Ctrl+D (Windows) or Cmd+D (Mac).
How to reselect objects in Photoshop?
To reselect objects in Photoshop, use the “Reselect” shortcut key [Ctrl+Shift+D – Windows or Cmd+shift+D – Mac], “Reselect” command, or try Select > Reselect.
How to deselect a Path in Photoshop?
To deselect a path in Photoshop, click anywhere outside the selected path within the Paths Panel. Otherwise, you can click the empty grey area in the Paths Panel or Ctrl+D on the path’s name.
How to Deselect a Layer in Photoshop?
To deselect a layer in Photoshop, simply click on an empty area of the Layers panel below the background or bottom layer. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+D).
How to Deselect Mask in Photoshop?
To deselect a mask in Photoshop, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+D or go to Select > Deselect from the menu bar.
How to Deselect Text in Photoshop?
To deselect text in Photoshop, you can use the keyboard shortcut key (Ctrl (Windows) /Cmd (Mac) + D) or use other selection tools that we’ve mentioned earlier.
Does Deselect Mean Delete?
No, “deselect” in Photoshop doesn’t mean “delete”. Deselecting means removing a selection that happened mistakenly.
Final Thoughts About How to Deselect in Photoshop
Now you’ve a clear idea of how to deselect in Photoshop using 7 easy and quick techniques. Deselecting an active selection in Photoshop can be easy and satisfying; all you need to do is follow our step-by-step guide. Feel free to share your experience after utilizing these techniques to deselect. Don’t forget to send us any questions you might have.