Adjusting selections manually

Selecting > Adjusting pixel selections > Adjusting selections manually

You can use the selection tools to add to or subtract from existing pixel selections.

For consistent results, before manually adding to or subtracting from a selection, set the feather and anti-aliased values in the options bar to the same settings used for the original selection. (See Softening the edges of a selection.)

To add to a selection or select an additional area:

1 Make a selection.

2 Do one of the following from inside the selection:

Select the Add to Selection option (

) in the options bar, and drag inside the selection.

Hold down Shift (a plus sign appears next to the pointer), and drag from inside the selection to add another selection.

For the magic wand tool, click another color in the active image to add it to the selection.

To subtract from a selection:

1 Make a selection.

2 Do one of the following:

Select the Subtract from Selection option (

) in the options bar, and drag inside the selection to subtract it.

Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) (a minus sign appears next to the pointer), and drag inside the selection to subtract another selection.

For the magic wand tool, click a selected color to remove it from the selection.

To select only an area intersected by other selections:

1 Make a selection.

2 Do one of the following:

Select the Intersect with Selection option (

) in the options bar, and drag inside the selection.

Hold down Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS) (a cross appears next to the pointer), and drag inside the selection over the portion of the original selection that you want to select.

For the magic wand tool, click another color in the active image.

Selecting > Adjusting pixel selections > Adjusting selections manually