Customize layers using styles

The Style tool is used to customize the look of layers by changing their transparency, customizing how they blend with other layers in your composition, and adding fills, strokes, shadows, and inner shadows. Layer styles can be applied to any layer in a composition, whether it’s an image, shape, or text layer. You can also copy a style applied to one layer and apply it to others.

When working with layer styles, there are a couple of useful things to know that will let you maximize your results. For example, you can rearrange the order in which styles are applied, temporarily disable specific styles, or even reset all the styles applied to a particular layer.

Turn styles on or off

When a layer style is turned off, it no longer shows on the layer but is still visible in the Tool Options pane. Turning the layer style back on restores all of its previous settings.

1. Choose the Style tool by doing one of the following:

   • Click the Style tool in the Tools sidebar.
   • Choose Tools > Style from the Tools menu at the top of your screen.

   • Press the S key on your keyboard.

2. Select the layer or layers you would like to edit.

3. Turn the switch next to Fill, Stroke, Shadow, or Inner Shadow styles on or off. If a style you want to add is not visible, click Add Style at the top of the tool options pane.

Rearrange the order of layer styles

If you apply two or more of the same layer styles to a single layer, you can rearrange the order in which they are applied.

To rearrange layer styles, click and drag a style up or down the list of styles.

Copy a layer style from one layer to another

A quick way to apply the same layer style to multiple layers is by using layer style presets. However, you can also apply the same layer style to multiple layers by simply copying it over.

1. Select the layer with the style you’d like to copy.

2. To copy the style, do one of the following:

   • Choose Format > Styles > Copy Styles from the Format menu at the top of your screen.

   • In the Layers sidebar, Control ⌃ – click the layer from which you’d like to copy a style and choose Styles > Copy Styles.

3. Select the layer to which you’d like to apply the copied style.

4. To paste the style, do one of the following:

   • Choose Format > Styles > Paste Styles from the Format menu at the top of your screen.

   • In the Layers sidebar, Control ⌃ – click the layer to which you’d like to paste the style and choose Styles > Paste Styles.

Flatten layer styles

Flattening (or merging) all the styles applied to a layer can be useful when you want to make edits to the layer together with the layer style. For example, you might want to erase part of a layer as well as the shadow applied to it. Without flattening, the shadow would adapt to the new shape of the layer.

1. Select the layer or layers you would like to edit.

2. Do any of the following:

   1. Press and hold the Option ⌥ key and, in the Tool Options pane, click the Flatten Styles button at the bottom.

   2. Choose Format > Styles > Flatten Styles from the Format menu at the top of your screen.

   3. In the Layers sidebar, Control ⌃ – click the layer you’d like to flatten and choose Styles > Flatten Styles.

Remove a style

When you remove a layer style, it no longer shows on the layer and is no longer visible in the Tool Options pane.

• Click Remove next to the style you want to remove.