Hide and show parts of a layer with masks
Layer masks, masks from a selection, vector masks, clipping masks and quick mask: hide parts of a layer without deleting anything.
Intermediate4 min readUpdated 25 September 2026Editor · Masks
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A mask hides parts of a layer without deleting them. Paint to hide, paint again to bring it back, and the original pixels are always there underneath. Use masks whenever you might change your mind: cut-outs, fading a photo into a background, or limiting an adjustment to one area.
How a layer mask works
A mask is a greyscale picture attached to a layer. Where the mask is white, the layer shows. Where it is black, the layer is hidden. Greys in between make the layer partly see-through, which is how soft edges and fades work. In the Layers panel the mask appears as a second thumbnail beside the layer's own.
Add a mask
- Select the layer.
- In Properties, under Mask, click Add mask. You can also use the mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel, or Layer, Layer mask, Add layer mask.
- The new mask is all white, so nothing is hidden yet, and you are now painting on the mask.
If you make a selection first, the button reads Mask from selection: the selected area stays visible and the rest is hidden. Layer, Layer mask, Mask hiding the selection does the opposite.
Paint on the mask
While the mask is active, the options bar says Painting on the mask: Brush shows, Eraser hides.
- Brush (B) brings back parts of the layer.
- Eraser (E) hides them.
- Lower Hardness for soft edges, and lower Opacity or Flow to fade gradually. A large soft brush at low flow is the easiest way to blend a photo into a background.
Only the Brush and Eraser paint on masks. To go back to working on the layer's pixels, click the layer's row, click Done painting mask in Properties, or press Escape.
Mask thumbnail shortcuts
| Action | What happens |
|---|---|
| Click the mask thumbnail | Paint on the mask |
| Alt-click the mask thumbnail | View the mask on its own, in black and white. Alt-click again or press Escape to go back. |
| Shift-click the mask thumbnail | Turn the mask off or on without deleting it |
Properties also has Turn off, Invert and Delete mask. Invert swaps what is hidden and what shows.
Vector masks
A vector mask is a path instead of painted pixels. It stays sharp at any size, and it works on text and shape layers without rasterizing them.
- Select the layer and choose Layer, Vector mask, Add vector mask (reveal all). It starts as a rectangle around the layer.
- The Direct Select tool (A) is picked for you. Drag the points to change the shape, or draw into it with the Pen.
- In Properties, Feather (0 to 100 px) softens the edge.
If you have already drawn a path, Vector mask from current path uses it. Rasterize turns the vector mask into a normal layer mask. Its thumbnail in the Layers panel works like a layer mask's: click to edit the points, Shift-click to turn it off.
Clipping masks
A clipping mask shows a layer only where the layer directly below it has something. Put a photo above a text layer and clip it, and the photo fills the letters. Both layers stay fully editable.
- Place the layer you want to show above the layer that should act as the shape.
- Press Alt+Ctrl+G, choose Layer, Create clipping mask, or use Clip to below in the floating action bar's More menu.
- Move or scale the clipped layer to change what shows inside the shape.
Clipped layers are indented in the Layers panel with a small arrow. Several layers can clip to the same base. Press Alt+Ctrl+G again, or choose Release clip, to undo it. A layer can only clip to an image, text or shape layer directly below it in the same group and board.
Other ways to make a mask
- Remove background hides the background with a mask instead of deleting it. See Remove a background.
- Select and mask… (Ctrl+Alt+R) refines a difficult edge such as hair, then sends the result to a Layer mask or a New layer with mask.
- Mask from path (Layer, Layer mask) masks the selected layer with a saved path from the Paths panel.
- Adjustment and filter layers take masks too. If you paint on an adjustment layer, a mask is added for you, so you can limit the adjustment to one area.
Quick mask
Quick mask is a way to paint a selection rather than draw it. Press Q (or click the quick mask button at the bottom of the tool rail). The Brush adds to the selection and the Eraser removes from it, shown as a coloured overlay. Press Q again to turn it back into a normal selection. See Selections.
Common problems
- Painting changes the picture instead of hiding it. You are on the layer, not the mask. Click the mask thumbnail first.
- The Clone stamp says to switch from the mask. Only the Brush and Eraser work on masks. Click the layer's row to paint on its pixels.
- Create clipping mask is greyed out. The layer below must be an image, text or shape layer (not an adjustment) in the same group and board.