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 panel 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 panel.)

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 panel, 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.

Use the controls in the Masks panel to change the filter mask density, add feathering to the edges of the mask, or invert the mask.

Note: By default, layer masks are linked to regular layers or Smart Object layers. When you move the layer mask or the layer using the Move tool, they move as a unit.

Mask Smart Filter effects

Click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers panel 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.

Change filter mask opacity or feather mask edges

Click the filter mask thumbnail or select the Smart Object layer in the Layers panel, and then click the Filter Mask button in the Masks panel.
In the Masks panel, drag the Density slider to adjust the mask opacity, and the Feathering slider to apply feathering to the mask edges. See Change mask opacity or refine edges.
Note: The Mask Edge option is not available for filter masks.

Invert a filter mask

Click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers panel, then click Invert in the Masks panel.

Display only the filter mask

Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers panel. 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

Do one of the following:

Shift-click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers panel.
Click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers panel, then click the Disable/Enable Mask button in the Masks panel.
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

Click the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers panel, then click the Delete icon in the Masks panel.
Drag the filter mask thumbnail in the Layers panel 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 Object layer, and then click the Filter Mask button in the Masks panel.
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 panel, and choose Add Filter Mask.