The primary shortcut to hide a layer mask overlay in Photoshop is the backslash (\) key. This allows you to toggle the visibility of the red overlay that often appears when you are working directly on a layer mask. Additionally, you can hide the full-screen view of a mask by using the Alt/Option-click shortcut.
Hiding a layer mask can refer to different actions depending on what you wish to achieve:
1. Hiding the Layer Mask Overlay
When you are actively painting on a layer mask, Photoshop can display a red overlay on your image to indicate the masked areas. This is particularly useful for precise selections, but you might want to temporarily hide it to see the actual effect on your image without the overlay.
- Shortcut: Tap the \ (backslash) key.
- Tapping the backslash key once will display the layer mask as a red overlay.
- Tapping the \ (backslash) key again will hide this overlay, allowing you to see your image without the red indication.
2. Hiding the Full-Screen Mask View
Sometimes, you might want to view the layer mask in grayscale on its own, filling the entire canvas. This provides a clear, unencumbered view of your mask's details. Once you're done inspecting it, you'll want to hide this view to return to your normal image display.
- Shortcut:
- Windows: Alt-click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers panel.
- Mac: Option-click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers panel.
- Performing this action once will show you the grayscale mask on your canvas. To hide this view and return to your layer content, simply Alt-click (Win) / Option-click (Mac) the layer mask thumbnail again.
Summary of Shortcuts
For quick reference, here's a summary of the shortcuts related to hiding layer mask views:
| Action | Windows Shortcut | macOS Shortcut | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hide/Show Mask Overlay | \ (backslash) |
\ (backslash) |
Toggles the red overlay when painting on the mask. |
| Hide/Show Full Mask View | Alt + Click thumbnail |
Option + Click thumbnail |
Toggles between viewing the mask and the image content. |
These shortcuts provide efficient ways to manage how your layer mask is displayed while you work in Photoshop, enhancing your workflow and precision.
