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• To step

If you want to center something in Photoshop, you can use built-in tools instead of wanting to do it by eye. With the Move Tool in Photoshop's toolbox you can quickly align the selected layer with the center of your image. These steps also work in similar image editors, such as GIMP.

To step

1. Select the layer you want to center. Use the layers window to select the layer you want to center.
   • If the layer is locked, you will have to duplicate it to unlock it. PressCtrl/⌘ Command+J to duplicate the selected layer. For more information, read articles on wikiHow about unlocking layers in Photoshop.
   • If you only want to center part of a layer, you will need to use the selection tools and then create a new layer from the selection. Right-click on the selected portion of the image and select "Promote Selection to Layer."
2. Press .Ctrl/⌘ Command+ato select the entire layer. You will see a dashed boxed selection appear along the edge of the layer.
   • You can use the same method to center an object in the center of the selection, instead of the center of the image. Do not press now Ctrl/⌘ Command+a to select all, but use the selection tool to indicate a custom area in the image. If you follow the procedure below, the image will be centered in the selected area.
3. Click on the "Move Tool". You can find this in the toolbox on the left side of the screen. It looks like a mouse cursor with a crosshair next to it. You can also pressV. to select it.
4. Click the "Align Vertical Centers" button. You can find this in the toolbar at the top of the window or in the attributes window below the toolbox on the left side of the screen. It looks like a narrow dark rectangle, with a white square to the right of it. This will align the selected layer so that it is centered vertically.
   • The location of these buttons can vary depending on the version of Photoshop, but they should always appear when you select the Move tool.
5. Click the "Align Horizontal Centers" button. You can find this near the button "Align vertical centers". It looks like a white box above a horizontal dark rectangle. This will center the selected layer horizontally.
6. Make manual changes. If the object you were trying to center isn't already centered in the layer, you may need to make some manual adjustments to get it exactly centered.
   • You can create a guide that shows the exact center of your image. Click and drag from the left ruler to create a vertical guide. Drag the line to the center until it clicks. Click and drag a guide from the top horizontal ruler and slowly drag it toward the center until it clicks into place. Where the lines meet is the exact center of your image. Use this to help make manual adjustments to the layer you want to center.