Mask Smart Filters

When you apply a Smart Filter to a Smart Object, Photoshop displays an empty (white) mask thumbnail on the Smart Filters line in the Layers palette under the Smart Object. By default, this mask shows the entire filter effect. (If you made a selection before applying the Smart Filter, Photoshop displays the appropriate mask instead of an empty mask on the Smart Filters line in the Layers palette.)

Use filter masks to selectively mask Smart Filters. When you mask Smart Filters, the masking applies to all Smart Filters—you can’t mask individual Smart Filters.

Filter masks work much like layer masks, and you can use many of the same techniques with them. Like layer masks, filter masks are stored as alpha channels in the Channels palette, and you can load their boundaries as a selection.

Like layer masks, you can paint on a filter mask. Areas of the filter that you paint in black are hidden; areas you paint in white are visible; and areas you paint in shades of gray appear in various levels of transparency.

Note: By default, layer masks are linked to regular layers. When you move the layer mask or the layer using the Move tool, they move as a unit. Masks applied to Smart Object layers, including filter masks, aren’t linked to layers. If you move a filter mask or a layer using the Move tool, they do not move as one unit.

Mask Smart Filter effects

Click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers palette to make it active.
A border appears around the mask thumbnail.
Select any of the editing or painting tools.
Do one of the following:
- To hide portions of the filter, paint the mask with black.
- To show portions of the filter, paint the mask with white.
- To make the filter partially visible, paint the mask with gray.
- You can also apply image adjustments and filters to filter masks.

Display only the filter mask

Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers palette. To show the Smart Object layer, Alt-click or Option-click the filter mask thumbnail again.

Move or copy filter masks

To move the mask to another Smart Filter Effect, drag the mask to the other Smart Filter Effect.
To copy the mask, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the mask to another Smart Filter Effect.

Disable a filter mask

Shift-click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers palette, or choose Layer > Smart Filter > Disable Filter Mask.

A red X appears over the filter mask thumbnail when the mask is disabled, and the Smart Filter appears without masking. To re-enable the mask, Shift-click the Smart Filter mask thumbnail again.

Delete a Smart Filter mask

Drag the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers palette to the Delete icon.
Select the Smart Filter Effect, and choose Layer > Smart Filters > Delete Filter Mask.

Add a filter mask

If you delete a filter mask, you can subsequently add another mask.

To add an empty mask, select the Smart Filter Effect, and choose Layer > Smart Filters > Add Filter Mask.
To add a mask based on a selection, make a selection, and then right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the Smart Filters line in the Layers palette, and choose Add Filter Mask.