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Set sample sources for cloning and healing



Using the Clone Stamp or Healing Brush tool, you can sample sources in the current document or any open document in Photoshop.

(Photoshop Extended) When cloning video or animation, you can set sampling points in the current frame you’re painting or sample sources in a different frame, even if the frame is in a different video layer or in a different open document.

You can set up to five different sampling sources at a time in the Clone Source panel. The Clone Source panel saves the sampling sources until you close the document.

  1. (Photoshop Extended only) To clone video or animation frames, open the Animation panel (if you’re not cloning video or animation frames, skip to step 2). Select the timeline animation option and move the current-time indicator to the frame with the source you want to sample.
  2. To set the sampling point, select the Clone Stamp tool and Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) in any open document window.
  3. (Optional) To set another sampling point, click a different Clone Source button  in the Clone Source panel.

    You can change the sampling source for a Clone Source button by setting a different sampling point.

Scale or rotate the sample source

  1. Select the Clone Stamp or Healing Brush tool and set one or more source samples.
  2. In the Clone Source panel, select a clone source and then do any of the following:

    • To scale the sample source, enter a percentage value for W (width) or H (height) or scrub W or H. The default is to constrain proportions. To adjust the dimensions independently or restore the constrain option, click the Maintain Aspect Ratio button .

    • To rotate the sample source, enter a degree value or scrub the Rotate The Clone Source icon .

    • To reset the sample source to its original size and orientation, click the Reset Transform button .

Adjust the sample source overlay options

Adjust the sample source overlay options to see the overlay and underlying images better when painting with the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush tools.

To temporarily display the overlay while painting with the Clone Stamp tool, press Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS). The brush changes temporarily to the Move Source Overlay tool. Drag to move the overlay to another location.
 In the Clone Source panel, select Show Overlay and do any of the following:

  • To hide the overlay while you apply the paint strokes, select Auto Hide.

  • To clip overlay to the brush size, enable the Clipped option.

  • To set the opacity of the overlay, enter a percentage value in the Opacity text box.

  • To set the appearance of the overlay, choose either the Normal, Darken, Lighten, or Difference blending mode from the pop‑up menu at the bottom of the Clone Source panel.

  • To invert the colors in the overlay, select Invert.

    To help align identical areas in the source overlay and underlying image, set Opacity to 50% and select Invert. Matching image areas will appear solid gray when aligned.

Specify the clone source offset

When using the Clone Stamp tool or Healing Brush tool, you can paint with the sampled source anywhere in the target image. The overlay options will help you visualize where you want to paint. However, if you need to paint in a very specific location relative to the sampling point, you can specify the x and y pixel offset.

 In the Clone Source panel, select the source you want to use and enter the x and y pixel values for the Offset option.