Photoshop Move Tool: Move Layer or Selected Area

The Photoshop Move tool lets you drag a selection or layer to a new location in the image or to other images. With the Info palette open, you can track the exact distance of the move. You can also use the Move tool to align selections and layers and distribute layers within an image.

Tip:You can access Move tool by press (V) in your keyboard or within any tools you can use move tool by hold-down Ctrl(Windows) or Command(Mac) Keys. When hold-down Ctrl(Command) key your cursor will change to .

Using Move Tool to Move the Selected Area:

You can move(cut) some part of your image or selected layer by

1. Make a selection using any selection tools ,such as Marquee tool , or any selection commands. From example below I use Elliptical Marquee tool to select the wheel.
2. Select Move Tool and move the cursor in side selected area your cursor will change to indicated that you can cut the pixel.
   
3. Click and Drag the selection area and move to desire location.

If you move any layer other than "Background" layer the cutting pixel will replace by transparency, otherwise it will be replace by current background color.

While you move the selected area you may hold-down following short-cut to define addtional move options below.

• Shift: Hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the movement to 45° or 90°(multiply of 45°).
• Alt(Option)+Ctrl(Command): To copy and move selected area. While you hold-down the keys your cursor will change from to indicated that you are ready to perform cut and move.
  
  
• Alt(Option)+Ctrl(Command)+Shift: To copy selected area with constrain the direction in multiply of 45°. Your cursor will change to .

Tip: You can move the selection (Nudge) by using keyboard arrow key. With Move tool select, pressing Up, Down, Left or Right keyboard keys. This will move object by 1 pixel in arrow key direction. Or hold down Shift and press arrow key will nudge 10 pixels.

Photoshop Move Tool Option

While Move tool is selected you will have several options to show or hide the bourdery or perform an automatic object alignment.

Auto Select Layer (A):

If checked Photoshop will automatically select the topmost layer that has pixels when you use Move tool and click or move object in image, rather than the selected layer.

Tip: You can temporary turn-on Auto Select Layer option by, while Move Tool is selected, hold-down Ctrl(Command) key and Click. This will automatically select the top most layer under your pointer.

Show Bounding Box (B):

To display the bounding box around object in the selected layer.

Alignment Button (C):

Click on one or more alignment button to automatically position linked layers or multiple selected layers (photoshop CS2)

• Align Top Edges: To move all linked layers, vertical direction, to the same top edges position . If linked, all layers will move to selected layer top position. If multiple select layer (CS2) will move to top-most object’s position.
• Align Vertical Centers: To move all linked layers, vertical direction, to the same vertical center position. If linked, all layers will move to selected layer vertical center position. If multiple select layer (CS2) will move to average vertical center position.
• Align Bottom Edges:
  To move all linked layers, vertical direction, to the same bottom edges position. If linked, all layers will move to selected layer bottom position.
  If multiple select layer (CS2) will move to bottom-most object’s position.
• Align Left Edges: To move all linked layers, horizontal direction, to the same left edges position. If linked, all layers will move to selected layer left edge position.
  If multiple select layer (CS2) will move to left-most object’s position.
• Align Horizontal Centers:
  To move all linked layers horizontal direction, to the same horizontal center position. If linked, all layers will move to selected layer left edge position.
  If multiple select layer (CS2) will move to left-most object’s position.
• Align Right Edges: To move all linked layers align by right edges position. If linked, all layers will move to selected layer right edge position.
  If multiple select layer (CS2) will move to right-most object’s position.

Distribute Button (D):

Click on one or more alignment button to automatically position linked layers, or multiple selected layers (photoshop CS2), with equal space between each objects. You have to linked or select at least three layers to enable this group of buttons.

• Distribute Top Edges: To align all linked layers or selected layers to have equal vertical space measure from top edges position.
• Distribute Vertical Centers: To align all linked layers or selected layers to have equal vertical space measure from vertical center position.
• Distribute Bottom Edges: To align all linked layers or selected layers to have equal vertical space measure from bottom edges position.
• Distribute Left Edges: To align all linked layers or selected layers to have equal horizontal space measure from left edges position.
• Distribute Horizontal Centers: To align all linked layers or selected layers to have equal horizontal space measure from horizontal center position.
• Distribute Right Edges: To align all linked layers or selected layers to have equal horizontal space measure from right edges position.

Using Move tool to move Layer or Layer Group

You can move single layer by select specific layer in layer palette, use Move tool to and drag to position it. Or you can move multiple layers or layer group by using link layer.

Note: If you have selection in your image you can start drag from inside the selected area and to perform cut and move. Or if you start drag form anywhere outside the selection, the selected layer and selection will move together.

You can also use Short-Cut to define additional move options as using Move tool to move the selection area. Only if you use Alt(Option) + Ctrl(Command) or Alt(Option) + Ctrl(Command) + Shift the selected layer will duplicate in to new layer and move.

Using Move tool to move multiple Layers or Layer Groups

For Photoshop CS or earlier, you can link layer by select the first layer containing the object you want to move and click the column just left of each additional layer you want to move. The Links icon will display, you can link as many as layer as you want all this layer will move together when you select and move one of layer in there group. To unlink just click Links icon next to layer you want to unlink.

For Photoshop CS2 or later, you can simply hold down Ctrl(Command) keys and select layers or groups one by one, or hold-down Shift key to select contiguous layers, to move multiple layers together. You can also permanently link groups or layers by select all layers or groups that you want to link and press Link button at bottom left of Layer palette.

Tip: For photoshop CS or later, with in image with a lot of layers, you can organize it with Layer group ( call Layer set in Photoshop CS). You can create new Layer group by press group icon at bottom of layer palette. In Layer palette select or Ctrl select multiple layers (Photoshop CS2 or later) and drag it in to group. You can also hide or unhide layer with in group by click at arrow next to each group.

Related Articles:

• All About Photoshop Layer and Layer Palette
• Using Photoshop Free Transform Command
• Photoshop CS3 Toolbox: Quick Reference
• Photoshop Marquee Tool
• Photoshop Lasso Tool
• Photoshop Painting Tool
• Photoshop Gradient Tool

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