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HowTo Apply an Adjustment Layer to Just One Layer in Photoshop? [Working 2024 Examples]

Last updated on February 4, 2024 @ 5:32 pm

In Photoshop, an adjustment layer is a layer that contains a correction, effect, or setting. You can think of it as a special type of layer that contains its own set of options that can be applied to one or more other layers in your Photoshop file. Adjustment layers are non-destructive because they don’t actually change the pixels in your image, instead, they apply the correction by creating an effect that is applied to the layers below it.

There are many different types of adjustment layers available in Photoshop, each with its own purpose. For example, there’s the Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer, which can be used to brighten or darken an image, and the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer, which can be used to change the colors in an image.

PRO TIP: If you are planning on applying an adjustment layer to just one layer in Photoshop, be aware that this may cause some unexpected results. In particular, if the layer you are adjusting is not the topmost layer in the document, the adjustment may affect other layers beneath it.

To apply an adjustment layer to just one layer in Photoshop, first, make sure that the layer you want to adjust is selected in the Layers panel.

Then click on the Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.

From there, choose the type of adjustment layer you want to add from the menu.

When you add an adjustment layer, a new layer will appear in your Layers panel above the selected layer. By default, this new layer will affect all the layers below it.

To restrict the effect of the adjustment layer to just one layer, right-click on the adjustment layer and select the “Create Clipping Mask” option.

NOTE: This will create a clipping mask, which means that the adjustment layer will only affect the layer it’s clipped to.

In this example, when we try to adjust the hue of the adjustment layer, then only the “Black” layer will undergo changes.

And that’s it! To apply an adjustment layer to just one layer in Photoshop, simply right-click on the adjustment layer you added, then select the “Create Clipping Mask” option.

Kathy McFarland

Kathy McFarland

Devops woman in trade, tech explorer and problem navigator.