How to unlock image

Chris Harkin,

TL:DR at bottom. :)

Thanks for the question. This happens to me all the time when I use Photoshop...usually when I'm a little over-eager to start working on a file immediately. I can't count the number of times I've started editing a file in Photoshop, noticed nothing happening...and then had to make sure I was editing on a brand new layer...or at least unlocking the background layer.

Oh, I should mention that this is what you are actually referring to: a locked layer, rather than a 'locked image,' which is preventing you from making any edits.

Typically, when you start a new file for editing, there are no locked layers...but should you open up an existing non-layered image (typically an image file already compressed or flattened) and begin an attempt to edit the document, you may hit the 'locked layer' wall. Luckily enough, the fix is easy.

Like everything in Photoshop, however, there are multiple ways of solving a given issue...and how you go about choosing which method you want to use is dependent on your familiarity with the product, your goals for your project/file, etc.

I'm going to assume the following is true:

• You're new to Photoshop.
• You ran into trouble just following the first step in the video where she pastes the copied content into the second file.
• You really just want to finish the lesson without too much fuss or fanfare.

It would be irresponsible of me to fail to mention, however, that just willy-nilly unlocking layers is not great Photoshop technique (i.e., best practices), and I wouldn't want to be responsible for starting off your experience with the tool by enhancing a bad habit that could wind up being more costly down the road.

To easily unlock a layer you want to edit that is currently locked:

1. Double-click the locked layer in your Layers panel.
2. Type in a new Layer name and hit enter (or just hit enter)

This will typically remove the 'soft-lock' on a background layer for a file you opened in Photoshop so you can edit it. There's also a 'hard-lock,' which no matter how many times you double-clicked, would just laugh and tell you 'No' until you made an effort to unlock it.

Photoshop, like other tools, can be daunting when you are first starting out...but with practice comes great reward. It is a great tool.