: Direct select Layer (PS) Since some of the newer cs versions of PS I got the problem that the Ctrl + left click stopped selecting layers directly when they're grouped in a folder. Instead

@Yeniel278

Check the Channels tab. There might be a hidden mask there created by accident. This is what happened to me, I couldn't CTRL+CLICK anywhere.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Turnbaugh909

Press "v" to select the "move" tool and be sure to select the option "layer" in the topbar menu.

Now your can cmd + click in some element and this will select its proper layer.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Kristi927

The solution is as follows when you are in auto select and you have chosen Group in the Auto-select option drop down area.

Alt + right-click on the object that you want to select on your canvas (the layer inside the group will be selected and not the entire group). Release Alt. While holding down the Ctrl key, left-click and drag the mouse.

You will notice the selected layer inside the group move and not the entire group itself.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Jamie315

When using most of the tools (except Move tool):

Cmd+Alt+Right-click


If you can temporarily switch to move tool by pressing cmd, then this will work. For example if you are using the Brush tool this will work, but if you are using the Crop tool, this will not work.


With move tool:

Cmd+Left-click or Alt+Right-click.

Left-click method and the right click method have one pretty interesting difference.

Left-click method does not select locked layers.
Right-click method selects locked layers.



Another difference with these two right-click methods, is that you can't move a layer while clicking, where as if you use the Left-click method, that may happen accidentally.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Goswami567

You can do this with a little work around.

Click your move tool and then in the topbar mark "auto-select" and set it to layer.
Now if you click inside the layer it will select it:



Once you have this checked you can also still use this if you have another tool (eg the select tool) active by simply CTRL+click it.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Jennifer810

I don't see this behavior. Try resetting preferences (hold down Cmd/Ctl, Opt/Alt and Shift while the program is launching) and see if that doesn't remedy the problem.

Vote Up Vote Down