Select areas by shape or color

In Pixelmator Pro, you can easily select parts of your image based on shape and color. Whether you're outlining objects, choosing areas of similar color, or targeting specific color ranges, you'll find tools for each editing task.

Quick Selection tool

The Quick Selection tool lets you easily select individual elements or entire objects in an image by simply drawing over them. A clever selection algorithm analyzes the colors and textures of the objects in images to detect their edges and make precise selections.

1. Choose the Quick Selection tool by doing one of the following:

   • Click the Quick Selection tool in the Tools sidebar or choose it from the grouped tools.

   • Choose Tools > Quick Selection from the Tools menu at the top of your screen.

   • Press the Q key on your keyboard.

2. In the Tool Options pane, customize the options for the Quick Selection tool:

   • Brush Size: Change the size of the selection brush — the larger the brush, the larger the area will be selected.

   • Sample All Layers: Select to make selections based not just on the active layer, but your entire visible image.

   • Show Selection Preview: Select to show a preview of the initial selection before you make it.

3. Draw over an area or an object you'd like to select.

Select similarly colored areas of an image

The Color Selection (or the magic wand) tool, lets you select elements or entire areas in your images according to their color.

1. Choose the Color Selection tool by doing one of the following:

   • Click Color Selection in the Tools sidebar or choose it from the grouped tools.
   • Choose Tools > Select > Color Selection from the Tools menu at the top of your screen.

   • Press the W key on your keyboard.

2. In the Tool Options pane, customize the options for the Color Selection tool:

   • Sample All Layers: Select to make selections based not just on the active layer, but your entire visible image.

   • Smooth Edges: Select to naturally smooth the selection outline.

3. Drag in your image to make a selection.

Select a color range

The Select Color Range tool lets you select noncontiguous, similarly-colored areas of an image.

1. Choose Edit > Select Color Range from the Edit menu at the top of your screen.

2. In the Tool Options pane, customize the options for the Select Color Range tool:

   1. Sample All Layers: When Sample All Layers are turned on, it makes the Select Color Range take into account the contents of every layer in your image, not just the selected layer.

   2. Smooth Edges: Select Smooth Edges to naturally smooth the outline of the Select Color Range tool. With Smooth Edges unselected, the selection outline will be a little more precise but jagged.

3. Click the canvas to pick a color range, or click the color well in the Tool Options pane to choose a specific color.

4. Drag the Range slider to adjust how many other color values close to your selected color will be included in the selection.