Photoshop Magic Wand Tool | All properties
How to use Magic Wand Tool Photoshop:
Below we’ll take a closer look at using the magic wand tool in Photoshop. We will go over each parameter of this wonderful and, in some cases, indispensable tool! Well, let’s go!
Magic Wand Tool Photoshop | 6 Settings
1 – Where is the Magic Wand Tool in Photoshop?
So, how to use magic wand tool in photoshop? In case you do not have a toolbar open, you need to click on “Window” → “Tools”. Then right-click (on the appropriate icon, as in the video) and select the tool “Magic Wand Tool”.
For a quick selection of this tool, you can also use the shortcuts “W”. Clicking on the “W” key with the “Shift” key pressed will switch between the following tools: “Object Selection Tool” / “Quick Selection Tool” / “Magic Wand Tool”.
2 – Selection Modes of Photoshop Magic Wand Tool
The “Photoshop Magic Wand Tool” can operate in one of 4 modes ↓
New Selection. In this mode, the “Photoshop Magic Wand Tool” will create a new selection every time you click on an area of the image.
Add to Selection. In this mode, each new click on an no selected area of the image will add a new selection to the previous oIn this mode, each new click on an no selected area of the image will add a new selection to the previous one.
Subtract from Selection. In this mode, each new click on an already selected area will work the other way around, removing part of the selection.
Intersect with Selection. This mode works a little trickier. It creates a new selection, but only in the already selected area.
Tip
You can use the “Shift” and “Alt” keys to speed up your work. In the “New Selection” mode, hold down the “Shift” key and the “Photoshop Magic Wand Tool” will switch into “Add Selection” mode. And “Alt” key press, will switch into “Subtract from Selection” mode. Using the shortcuts greatly speeds up the work process and eliminates unnecessary switching.
3 – Sample Size of “Magic Wand Tool”
On the “Sample Size” tab, you can select the size of the color capture area of wand tool photoshop. What does this mean?
When you click the “Magic Wand Tool” on some area of the image, it takes a sample from that spot to make a selection according to that sample.
With “Sample Size” you determine the size of the spot for the sample. In the case of “Point Sample“, the sample will be the color of the pixel you clicked on. And in the case of “101 by 101“, Photoshop will determine the average color from a 101 by 101 spot of pixels.
In most cases, the “3 by 3” or “5 by 5” setting works very well. But it all depends on the task at hand, and here Photoshop gives, as always, a very wide range of possibilities 🙂
As a consequence (you can see in the video), increasing the spot size for the sample will result in a larger of selecting area. Because sample will take more tones for the sample. (But don’t forget that the average color value is taken into account, not all colors in the sample spot).
“Sample Size” is by no means responsible for sensitivity! We will talk about the sensitivity of this instrument next…
4 – Photoshop Magic Wand Tolerance
“Magic Wand Tolerance” is Sensitivity! This is probably the most important parameter of this tool, because it is responsible for how sensitivity of selected area!
How does work magic wand tolerance? This parameter indicates how many neighboring tones will be taken into account in relation to the color you clicked. The higher the value you choose, the farther along the tones you let magic wand tolerance make the selection.
It is important to understand the difference with the “Sample Size” setting. The “Photoshop Magic Wand Tolerance” setting specifies the amount of colors range the program will take into account for make selection area, in relation to the color you picked.
Important!
The “Photoshop Tolerance” is a global setting and magic wand tolerance works by the same logic with the other tools as well!
5 – Contiguous in Photoshop
The “Contiguous in Photoshop” mode (not only with the Magic Wand Tool) is a cool feature that defines the boundaries in which the Magic Wand will work.
If “Contiguous in Photoshop” is ON, the selection will be made until another color gets in the way of the selected area.
If “Contiguous in Photoshop” is OFF, the Magic Wand will analyze the whole image, and select the corresponding colors on the whole canvas of the image.
Important!
The “Contiguous in Photoshop” is a global setting and it works by the same logic with the other tools as well!
6 – Sample All Layers
The “Sample All Layers” function determines which layers the “Photoshop Magic Wand Tool” will take into account.
If “Sample All Layers” is OFF, only the active layer is taken into account.
If “Sample All Layers” is ON, the “Magic Wand” takes into account ALL VISIBLE LAYERS !
As you can see in the video, when “Sample All Layers” is OFF, all the empty space of the active layer is selected. But then, after turning on “Sample All Layers“, “Magic Wand” starts working correctly, because it’s like seeing the picture as we do, regardless of which layer is active.