Photoshop: Invert mask - how it works

If you want to display a drawing on the layer mask in Photoshop, you have to invert the mask. In this practical tip, we will show you how to invert a layer mask in Adobe Photoshop under Mac OS X and Windows.

Photoshop for Mac: Invert mask

Use the key combination [cmd] + [I] to reverse the mask in Photoshop for Mac. If you don't like working with keyboard shortcuts, you can follow these steps to invert a layer mask in Photoshop using the menu bar:

1. Select your layer mask and click on "Image" in the upper menu.
2. Under the "Corrections" section, click on the "Invert" option.

Photoshop for Windows: invert mask

In Windows, reverse the mask with the key combination [CTRL] + [I]. Alternatively, you can also use the ribbon:

1. First click on "Image" in the upper menu and select "Corrections".
2. Then look for the menu item "Invert" and click here too.

This practical tip is based on Adobe Photoshop CS 5 for Mac OS X or Windows 8. In our next practical tip we will show you how to make a background transparent with Photoshop. If you've made a mistake and want to go back several steps, we'll also show you how to undo a change in Photoshop.