Tip: Setting the Photoshop Work Area Background Color
Sometimes, I find it rather useful to change the background color of Photoshop when I’m working with certain graphics or photographs. This setting isn’t available in Photoshop’s preferences, so it might not be very well known.
First off, let me begin by explaining that there is a difference between the area surrounding a documents canvas and Photoshop’s Application Background. We’ll be dealing with the first of the two (The area INSIDE of a documents window, which does not make up a part of the canvas), while the latter can typically be set in your Operating Systems theme preferences.
Setting the Background Color for the Work Area
It’s really simple to do.
While working with a document, select the Paint Bucket Tool from the toolbar.
Now select the Foreground Color which you want to use as Photoshop’s Work Area Background.
While Shift, fill in (left click) the area surrounding your canvas workspace (the space between the editable canvas and the window’s edges). The foreground color you selected will replace the default grey background you would usually see.
That’s all there is to it! A quick and easy Photoshop trick that should help you view your images over different backgrounds without going into Full Screen Mode!
46 Comments
At last! Thanks a lot for the simple tip.
Flag as inappropriatehelped a lot
Flag as inappropriatewhat a relief thanks
Flag as inappropriateGreat stuff! Straight to the point. Thanks!
Flag as inappropriateGreat stuff! Start to the point. Thanks!
Flag as inappropriateThanks mate. Just what I needed.
Flag as inappropriateThx boss, its really helpfull and make me free with this tension
Flag as inappropriateIts fantastic n wonderful…thks
Flag as inappropriateThx man. Sometimes the solutions are so simple. Now this is a ps shortcut I’ll never forget :D!
Flag as inappropriateThx man. Sometimes the solutions are so simple. Now this is a ps shortcut I’ll never forget :D
Flag as inappropriateBrilliant! Thanks. Couldn’t find this very basic info from the PS help.
Flag as inappropriateHa! This is wonderful – thank you. I have spent at least 2 days searching Photoshop high and low to get rid of a black page background that “somehow” I got.
Thank you very much.
Flag as inappropriateClaudia
I too have had this problem. The “somehow” is probably because you pressed the key command for it that doesn’t seem to be documented.
Flag as inappropriateFor those that like key commands its (Space bar + f )
;)
Excellent post. Thanks26
Flag as inappropriateExcellent post. Thanks19
Flag as inappropriateExcellent post. Thanks14
Flag as inappropriateits very nice. Great post
Flag as inappropriateHAHA !!!! this tip made me laugh … at MYSELF !!!!!!!
Flag as inappropriatehow did i miss it !!!!!??
thx David !!
very useful one !
How do I set my background to be as it shown on preview image on this site??
http://www.tutorial9.net/category/photoshop/photoshop-basics/page/4/
Ty :)
Flag as inappropriateThanks man… had that thing set to a black background and it was bugging the hell out of me.. Nice to know it’s a simple adjustment.
Cheers
Flag as inappropriatehi, i accidentally changed my bg color as how u mentioned here, but do you know how to get it back to the default color? thanks! you can reply to my email, thanks!
Flag as inappropriateJust right click over the background and select ‘Gray’.
Flag as inappropriateGo to your computer’s Display Properties/Appearance/Advanced. The tab that reads Items, use the pulldown, select Application Background, color will be on your right, and you can change it.
Flag as inappropriateI’m using CS3 and can’t find the paint bucket too anywhere. Is there something I need to do to find it?
Thanks in advance – Russ
Flag as inappropriateYou might not find it immediately, but it’s actually behind the “Gradient Tool”, which looks like a sqaure with a gradient in. ;)
Flag as inappropriateIn CS3 this only seems to work when you are in Maximized Screen Mode, Full Screen with menu bar, and Full Screen mode. This does not work in standard screen mode. (I’m using windows not sure how this works on OSX).
Pretty cool tip however.
Flag as inappropriateThanks so much! I couldn’t figure out how I changed it to begin with, and it was making it difficult to see my work.
Flag as inappropriateCheers
Wow great tip man! thanks this is really helpful!
Flag as inappropriateYeah, you can just right-click on the background and do it from there.
It makes it easier to reset too from that menu.
Flag as inappropriateThanks for this… I’m designing a graphic for a website and I wanted to make sure it would looks good with the background color of the site. Great tip!
Flag as inappropriatecool! thanks for this tip! :)
Flag as inappropriateits very nice trick
Flag as inappropriateDear god thank you so very much!!
Flag as inappropriateThank you! It was driving me nuts having my work area in sky blue…
Flag as inappropriateAs well, nowadays (CS3) you can simply right click the background, and choose a color from there. :P
Flag as inappropriaterealy easy & very hard
Flag as inappropriateMy God, thank you for this.
Flag as inappropriateI was just trying to recall this trick yesterday. Thanjs for reminding! :)
Flag as inappropriatehow do you reset this after you have done it?
Flag as inappropriateIt’s amazing how these little tricks can make production so much easier. Thanks! :)
Flag as inappropriateAwesome, a year too late though… :P
I did this by accident and couldn’t figure out how to reverse it. Drove me nuts cause the background was like white.
Flag as inappropriateHehe Thank you.
I had the same problem today that my background had a weird color, I don’t know why, maybe I was too fast photoshopping :-D
Flag as inappropriateAhah I never thought of that, good use!
Flag as inappropriate@MPCoyote – If you’re working with photographs, you might find that changing the background color of photoshop to black, or white, or some other color will actually help you see how the photo would be framed in different colors. For most users, the neutral grey works perfectly though ;)
Flag as inappropriateFun! I gotta try this out in class…
I think I know that guy…do I know that guy?
Flag as inappropriateHaha I’m not sure if I’ll ever have a practical use for this but amusing and cool to know all the same lol
Flag as inappropriate