What pixel sorting is and how to use it
Pixel sorting rearranges runs of bright pixels by brightness, turning highlights into streaks. What the threshold does, which photos work, how to sort vertically, and how to limit it to one part of the image.
Intermediate2 min readUpdated 27 September 2026Effects · Pixel Sort
Choosing the threshold
| Threshold | Result | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 70 to 90 | Only highlights streak; the photo stays readable | A subtle glitch on portraits and products |
| 45 to 70 | Skies and light backgrounds melt; the subject survives | Posters, album art |
| Under 45 | Most of the image becomes streaks | Abstract backgrounds, textures |
Sort vertically
The effect always sorts left to right. For vertical streaks (dripping, falling light), turn the image first and bake the result before turning it back, because a filter layer re-runs on whatever is below it:
- Image, Image rotation, Rotate 90° clockwise.
- Add Filter, Distort, Pixel Sort and set the threshold.
- Select the filter layer and Layer, Merge down so the sort becomes pixels.
- Image, Image rotation, Rotate 90° anticlockwise. The streaks now run vertically.
Sort only part of the image
A filter layer can take a mask. Add the Pixel Sort filter, then add a layer mask to it and paint black over the parts that should stay untouched, such as a face. Or select the subject first with Select, Subject and use Mask hiding the selection on the filter layer, so everything except the subject sorts.
Why does nothing happen on my photo?
The threshold is above the brightest part of the image. Lower it until the highlights start to move.
Does Randomize change the sort?
Not in the current version. Pixel sorting is deterministic: the same image and threshold always give the same result.