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What Does Merge Layers Mean in Photoshop?

Last updated on September 24, 2022 @ 1:26 am

In Photoshop, the Merge Layers command allows you to take two or more separate layers and merge them into a single layer. This can be useful if you want to reduce the number of layers in your document, or if you want to apply a certain effect to all of the layers at once.

To merge layers, simply select the layers that you want to merge and then go to Layer > Merge Layers. You can also use the shortcut Ctrl+E. This will bring up a dialog box where you can specify how the layers should be merged.

There are four different options for merging layers:

  • Merge Visible: This option will only merge the visible layers. If there are any hidden layers, they will remain unchanged.
  • Flatten Image: This option will merge all of the layers into a single layer.

    This is useful if you want to reduce the file size of your image.

  • Smart Object: This option will create a new Smart Object from the selected layers. This is useful if you want to apply an effect that can be edited later.
  • New Layer: This option will create a new layer from the selected layers. This is useful if you want to keep the original layers intact.

So, what does merge layers mean in Photoshop? In short, it allows you to take two or more separate layers and merge them into a single layer.

There are four different options for merging layers, each with its own specific use case.

PRO TIP: When you merge layers in Photoshop, it means that you are flattening the image and combining all the layers into one. This is usually not reversible, so be sure that you really want to do this before you proceed.
Morgan Bash

Morgan Bash

Technology enthusiast and Co-Founder of Women Coders SF.