photoshop · HeyBraza shows you
how to use the eraser tool in photoshop
HeyBraza points at the right eraser - or steers you to a layer mask, so you don't delete pixels you'll want back.
photoshop hides three erasers under one toolbar slot and they do very different things. worth knowing all three - and knowing that most of the time a layer mask does the job without deleting anything.
short answer
press e for the eraser, then right-click the tool to switch between the plain eraser (erases to transparent or the background colour), the background eraser (samples a colour and rubs it away), and the magic eraser (deletes similar pixels in one click). all three are destructive, so for anything you might undo, use a layer mask instead.
or do it yourself
- 1press e to grab the eraser; right-click it in the toolbar to reveal the background eraser and magic eraser.
- 2plain eraser: drag over the layer - on an unlocked layer it erases to transparent, on a locked background layer it paints the background colour.
- 3background eraser: click the colour you want gone and drag - it rubs away that colour and leaves the rest.
- 4magic eraser: click once to delete all similar-coloured pixels, like the magic wand but it deletes.
- 5prefer non-destructive? add a layer mask and paint with a black brush instead - same effect, fully reversible.
steps last checked
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downloadcommon questions
why is my photoshop eraser painting a colour instead of erasing?
you're on a locked background layer, so it paints the background colour. double-click the layer to unlock it and the eraser will erase to transparent.
eraser tool or layer mask - which should i use?
a layer mask almost always. it hides pixels instead of deleting them, so you can paint them back. keep the eraser for quick throwaway cleanup.
what's the difference between the three erasers?
the plain eraser rubs pixels away, the background eraser removes one sampled colour, and the magic eraser deletes all similar pixels in a click.
