1. To auto-select a layer. Hold down the Cmd/Ctrl key while clicking on a layer in Photoshop’s main image window

2. Press Shift Cmd/Ctrl U (Desaturate) to do away with all color in an image in RGB mode and without having go into grayscale mode. Using the channel mixer and clicking on the Grayscale option will create a better result however

3. If you want to move a selection to its own layer. Press Cmd/Ctrl J to copy the selection. To cut and move a selection, press Shift Cmd/Ctrl J

4) Hide the Selction Marquee (’Marching Ants’) - Press Ctrl/Cmd H.

5. To set a feather using the Lasso Tools press the Return/Enter key to highlight the Feather field in the Options palette and here you can enter or change the value.

6. To fill a layer or selection with the foreground colour, press Alt/Option Delete. To fill a layer or selection with the background colour, press Cmd/Ctrl Delete.

7. Press the [ ] keys to change the brush size. By holding the shift key down and pressing the [and ] keys, the brush will get softer and harder, respectively. You can adjust the level up to five times.

Removing Scratches or Blemishes ” If your edition of Photoshop does not have the Spot Healing Brush, edit out blemishes or scratches from a photo by double clicking on the Blur Tool. Next in the Blur Tool Options palette, decrease the opacity to 15%, and then change the mode to Lighten. Now when you paint over scratches they will vanish.

9. Photoshop will draw straight lines for you. Using any of the brush tools, click, hold the Shift key and click again where you want your line to end. Photoshop will literally connect the dots. This can work with most any tool from erasers to even the highlight tool in the Extract filter.

10) Creating Duplicates ” Choose Duplicate Layer in the Layers palette and change the document setting to New to generate a new picture from any layer.