Photoshop Elements > Navigation >
Windows & Tabs
You can use tabs and windows in Photoshop Elements.
Preferences
Do the following.
1) Press Ctrl + k to go to Preferences.
2) If its selected, deselect Allow Floating Documents in Full Edit Mode or Allow Floating Documents in Expert Mode.
Photoshop Elements 10 & Earlier
Photoshop Elements 11 & Later
3) Click OK.
You'll be able to use tabs, but not floating windows.
4) Open a couple of photographs.
Tabs
The tabs are located above the photographs.
Tabs allow you to switch between photographs by clicking a tab.
Click the x in the tab to close the file.
You can move a tab.
Click and hold on it, and drag it to a new position in the row of tabs.
If a file isn't saved, an asterisk appears at the end of its name.
Photoshop Elements 10 & Earlier
Photoshop Elements 11 & Later
Windows
Do the following.
1) Close all photographs.
2) Press Ctrl + k to go to Preferences.
3) Select Allow Floating Documents in Full Edit Mode or Allow Floating Documents in Expert Mode.
Photoshop Elements 10 & Earlier
Photoshop Elements 11 & Later
You can now use tabs and windows.
4) Open a couple of photographs.
They open as a cascade of windows.
There are no tabs for the photographs.
Move a Window
You can drag the windows where you want them, such as onto a second monitor.
Click and hold on the top bar, and drag.
Turn a Window into a Tab
To turn a window into a tab, drag the window by its top to the area just above the work area.
When a blue outline appears, release the mouse button.
Use Tabs in a Window
You can use tabs in one of the windows.
Let's say you have Cactus 1 and Cactus 2 open.
Drag the Cactus 2 window by its top to the Cactus 1 window.
Position the Cactus 2 window just under the top bar of the Cactus 1 window.
When a blue outline appears, release the mouse button.
There are now two tabs in a single window.
Window > Images
You can use commands in the Window > Images menu to change windows into tabs and vice versa.
Go to Window > Images at the top of your screen.
Photoshop Elements 10 & Earlier
Photoshop Elements 11 & Later
Float in Window
Float in Window converts a tabbed photograph into windowed photograph.
Float All in Windows
Float All in Windows converts all open photographs into windowed photographs.
Consolidate All to Tabs
Consolidate All to Tabs converts all of the windowed photographs into tabbed photographs.
Convert to a Tab
As described above, to convert a single windowed photograph into a tabbed photograph, do the following.
Drag the window by its top to just above the work area.
When a blue outline appears, release the mouse button.
New Window
Click New Window to open a photograph in a second window.
This useful when editing a small area.
You can view the entire photograph in one window, and the small portion of it, in the second window.
This allows you to evaluate the editing using both magnifications.
Go to See Both at the Same Time.
Match Zoom & Match Location
The above commands work with tabbed and windowed photographs.
Click Match Zoom to zoom all of the photographs to the same magnification.
Click Match Location to move all of the photographs to the same location.
Let's say you're evaluating which group photograph has the best expressions.
You have five of the group photographs open.
Zoom in on the front row of one of the photographs.
Click Match Zoom and click Match Location.
All five of the photographs will now be zoomed in on the front row.
Mac Only
Minimize
Click Minimize to send a windowed photograph to the Dock.
If all of the photographs are tabbed, the entire Photoshop Elements window is minimized when you click Minimize.
Bring All to Front
Click Bring All to Front to bring all windowed photographs in front of other program windows, such as Preview.
Arrange Menu
(Photoshop Elements 10 & Earlier)
Some of the above commands also appear in the arrange menu.
It's located at the top of your screen on the left.
