Customizing Photoshop’s toolbar to match your workflow can streamline your editing process significantly. By eliminating unnecessary tools, you keep only the essentials visible, simplifying your interface and saving valuable editing time.
Coming to you from Aaron Nace with Phlearn, this practical video guides you step by step in tailoring Photoshop's toolbar precisely to your editing style. Nace first demonstrates how to rearrange or remove tools you seldom use, such as the Frame tool or Perspective Crop tool, helping you avoid distractions and clutter. He explains clearly how to reposition favored tools like the Remove tool—useful for leveraging Photoshop's latest AI capabilities—to the top of the tool stack, making them quicker to access. You’ll also learn a handy keyboard shortcut for swiftly cycling through tool options, particularly beneficial if you regularly toggle between similar tools.
Nace highlights the benefit of placing infrequently used items in the "Extra Tools" section, still accessible when needed but hidden from immediate view. This allows you to maintain a clean, focused workspace tailored specifically to your preferences, whether that's minimalist or detailed. He also touches on more subtle customizations, such as consolidating less-used pen-related tools into simple shortcuts using modifier keys like Alt or Option. These small adjustments significantly improve workflow efficiency, especially in complex projects requiring frequent switching between a handful of crucial tools.
Beyond rearranging tools, the video explains further ways to customize the toolbar layout, like turning it into a single vertical row to maximize screen space, or docking it in different workspace areas. The flexibility demonstrated in this approach is practical for those who want more control over their editing environment, particularly useful when screen real estate is limited or multiple projects are underway simultaneously. Another useful tip from Nace involves managing new tools Photoshop introduces, such as the Adjustment Brush tool, emphasizing the importance of periodically reassessing your toolbar’s setup to ensure it matches your evolving workflow.
Nace stresses there's no definitive right or wrong in customization—each setup should reflect your specific editing needs. Regularly reviewing and tweaking your toolbar layout ensures continued workflow efficiency. Whether you rely heavily on certain retouching tools or prefer quick access to particular selection methods, the ability to customize Photoshop’s toolbar means every user can create an optimal editing environment. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Nace.
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