How To Duplicate In Photoshop Shortcut

Duplicating layer is an action that you'll be repeating quite often when you work in Adobe Photoshop. It's a simple step that assists you during your design process.

When I was a graphic design student 10 years ago, one of the most useful tips I learned was saving a copy of my work, especially when I work on complex projects like drawing in Photoshop. I ALWAYS duplicate the layers, hide them and lock them just in case I delete them by accident.

Duplicating layer allows you to make edits to your artwork instead of creating a new one and compare which one works better.

Besides saving time and trouble, the famous Photoshop is known for making cool image effects for posters, and all these cool effects are made from layers. See this poster here, you'll need to do a couple of shortcuts (Command + J for macOS or Control + J for Windows) to duplicate to get there.

Pretty cool, huh? You can make it too! One of the first steps is: duplicate a layer. In this article, you'll learn six quick and easy ways to do this step and you'll be on your way to make a cool poster like this.

Can't wait to show you!

Table of Contents

6 Ways to Duplicate a Layer in Photoshop
- Method 1: From the top menu
- Method 2: Layers panel
- Method 3: Layer options
- Method 4: Drag to Layer icon
- Method 5: Marquee, Lasso & Object Selection Tool
- Method 6: Keyboard shortcut
FAQs
- Why do you duplicate a layer in Photoshop?
- Can I copy a layer from one PSD file to another?
- How to make multiple copies of a layer in Photoshop?
Conclusion

6 Ways to Duplicate a Layer in Photoshop

Note: Screenshots are taken from Adobe Photoshop 2021 Mac version. Windows or other versions might look slightly different.

As always there are several different methods of duplicating a layer in Photoshop. You will normally have a preferred way of working in photoshop, so choose whichever way fits in with your current processes the best. There is no right and wrong way, there are in fact 6 ways!

All the methods involve having the layer that you want to duplicate selected in the layers panel as the first step.

Please note: All the methods described below involve having the layer that you want to duplicate selected in the layers palette as an initial step.

Go to the top menu Layer > Duplicate Layer.

Method 2: Layers panel

Step 1: Right click on the layer you want to duplicate on the Layers panel.

Step 2: Click Duplicate Layer.

Method 3: Layer options

Step 1: Click on the small hidden menu on the top right corner of the Layers panel.

Step 2: Select Duplicate Layer.

Method 4: Drag to Layer icon

Click and drag the layer you want o duplicate to the Create a new layer icon (the little plus sign at the bottom of the Layers panel).

Method 5: Marquee, Lasso & Object Selection Tool

Step 1: If you happen to be using the Marquee, Lasso or the Object Selection Tool, right click on the layer in the document.

Step 2: Select Duplicate Layer.

Method 6: Keyboard shortcut

Hit Command (Ctrl for Windows) + J to duplicate a layer.

That's it. You can duplicate a layer in Photoshop in two to three quick steps.

FAQs

You might also be interested to know the answers to the following questions related to duplicating layers in Photoshop.

Why do you duplicate a layer in Photoshop?

It's always a good idea to save a copy of your work in case you change your mind. Duplicating a layer allows you to compare your design before and after. You can also make some cool effects with duplicated layers by adjusting the transparency.

Can I copy a layer from one PSD file to another?

Yes, you can copy a layer from one design to another, just select the layer, hit Command + C (or Control + C if you're on Windows) to copy, go to the new PSD file, and paste it by pressing Command + V (or Control + C if you're on Windows). Or you can select the layer and drag it into the new PSD document.

How to make multiple copies of a layer in Photoshop?

Hold down the Option + Command key (or Alt + Control if you're a Windows user), and hit any arrow keys to make multiple copies of a layer. Each time you press the arrow, you create a new copy of the layer.

Conclusion

Remember to select the layer before you duplicate, then you can use any of the six methods above to quickly duplicate a layer. You can make cool image effects and easily edit existing artwork to make a comparison with your new layer.

June is an experienced graphic designer specializing in brand design. Photoshop is the essential tool that she uses every day along with other Adobe programs for her creative work.