How can I copy a layer or Smart Object from one open Photoshop document to another?

Asked 7/23/2010

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2 answers

I have two images open in Photoshop and want to copy an entire layer, including a Smart Object, from one open document into the other. What’s the simplest way to do this?

photoshop workflow layers smart-objects editing

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

16y ago

2 Answers

For a layer:

In your original image right click the layer in the list and select the "Duplicate Layer..." option.

You get a dialog prompting for the new layer name and (importantly in this case) a Destination drop down. It's defaulted to the current document but you can select another open document or create a new document. If you select another document you can also set it's name.

Originally by user441. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user441

16y ago

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Yes—there are two straightforward ways in Photoshop:

Duplicate the layer to another document
- In the Layers panel, right-click the layer you want.
- Choose Duplicate Layer...
- In the Destination dropdown, select the other open document.
- Click OK.
Drag and drop between documents
- In the Layers panel, click and drag the layer or Smart Object from one document window to the other.
- Drop it into the target document.

Both methods work for normal layers and Smart Objects. The Duplicate Layer method is usually the clearest because it lets you explicitly choose the destination document.

Based on the community answers, automating this reliably in an action may not be consistent, so manual duplication or drag-and-drop is the practical approach.

How can I copy a layer or Smart Object from one open Photoshop document to another?

2 Answers

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