The Preset Manager lets you manage the libraries of preset brushes, swatches, gradients, styles, patterns, contours, custom shapes, and preset tools that come with Photoshop. For example, you can use the Preset Manager to change the current set of preset items or create new libraries. After you load a library in the Preset Manager, you can access the library’s items in locations such as the options bar, palettes, dialog boxes, and so on.

In general, when you change a preset, Photoshop prompts you to save the changes as a new preset so that both the original and changed preset remain available.

Each type of library has its own file extension and default folder. Preset files are installed on your computer inside the Presets folder in the Adobe Photoshop CS3 application folder.

To open the Preset Manager, choose Edit > Preset Manager. Choose an option from the Preset Type menu to switch to a specific preset type.

You can adjust the configuration of presets by clicking the palette menu button and choosing a display mode from the top section of the menu:

Text Only

Displays the name of each preset item.

Small Thumbnail or Large Thumbnail

Displays a thumbnail of each preset item.

Small List or Large List

Displays the name and thumbnail of each preset item.

Stroke Thumbnail

Displays a sample brush stroke and brush thumbnail of each brush preset. (This option is available for brush presets only.)

To rearrange the list of items, drag an item up or down in the list.

Rearranging tool presets in the Preset Manager

Note: To delete a preset in the Preset Manager, select the preset and click Delete. You can always use the Reset command to restore the default items in a library.