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!
Getting Started in Photoshop
Working with Layers in Photoshop
Quick, Easy, and Scalable Photoshop Backgrounds
Using Palettes in Photoshop
Haha I’m not sure if I’ll ever have a practical use for this but amusing and cool to know all the same lol
Fun! I gotta try this out in class…
I think I know that guy…do I know that guy?
@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
Ahah I never thought of that, good use!
Awesome, a year too late though…
I did this by accident and couldn’t figure out how to reverse it. Drove me nuts cause the background was like white.
It’s amazing how these little tricks can make production so much easier. Thanks!
how do you reset this after you have done it?
I was just trying to recall this trick yesterday. Thanjs for reminding!
My God, thank you for this.
realy easy & very hard
As well, nowadays (CS3) you can simply right click the background, and choose a color from there.
Thank you! It was driving me nuts having my work area in sky blue…
Dear god thank you so very much!!
its very nice trick