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How Do I Soften a Layer in Photoshop?

Last updated on September 23, 2022 @ 10:02 pm

There are a few different ways that you can soften a layer in Photoshop. One way is to use the Gaussian Blur filter.

You can find this filter under the Filter menu, under Blur. Another way to soften a layer is to use a layer mask.

With a layer mask, you can selectively blur parts of a layer. This is useful if you want to keep some detail in the image, but want to blur other parts.

To use a layer mask, first make sure that the layer you want to blur is selected. Then click on the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel.

A white rectangle will appear next to your layer in the Layers panel. This is your layer mask.

By default, the entire layer is masked, so everything on the layer will be affected by any changes you make. To selectively blur parts of the layer, you’ll need to paint on the layer mask with a black brush.

To do this, make sure that your foreground color is set to black and select a soft-edged brush from the Brush palette. Then simply paint over the areas of the image that you want to blur.

As you paint, those areas will become blurred. If you make a mistake, you can always paint over it with white to bring back the detail.

Once you’re happy with how your image looks, you can save it and share it with others.

PRO TIP: How Do I Soften a Layer in Photoshop?

If you are not careful, softening a layer in Photoshop can lead to some pretty drastic changes in your image. Be sure to zoom in and check your work often when softening a layer, as it can be easy to overdo it.

So there are two main ways that you can soften layers in Photoshop – by using the Gaussian Blur filter or by painting on a layer mask with a black brush.

Madison Geldart

Madison Geldart

Cloud infrastructure engineer and tech mess solver.