PhotoshopElements

Use the Magic Wand tool

The Magic Wand tool selects pixels within a similar color range with one click. You specify the color range, or tolerance, for the Magic Wand tool’s selection. Use the Magic Wand tool when you have an area of similar colors, like a blue sky.
Magic Wand tool options

A.
Magic Wand tool

B.
New selection

C.
Add to selection

D.
Subtract from selection

E.
Intersect with selection

  1. Select the Magic Wand tool .
  2. (Optional) Set Magic Wand tool options in the options bar located above your image:
    • For Tolerance, enter a value between 0 to 255. Enter a low value to select colors very similar to the pixel you click, or enter a higher value to select a broader range of colors.

    • To define a smooth selection edge, select Anti-aliased.

    • To select only adjacent areas using the same colors, select Contiguous. When this option is deselected, pixels using the same colors are selected throughout the entire photo.

    • To select colors using data from all the visible layers, select Use All Layers. When this option is deselected, the Magic Wand tool selects colors from only the active layer.

  3. In the photo, click the color you want to select.
  4. To add to the selection, Shift+click unselected areas. To remove an area from the selection, Option+click the area you want to remove.