Photoshop Actions
Want to speed up photo workflows? A Photoshop action can save you time and effort when it comes to processing multiple images at the same time. In this series, you’ll learn how to use Photoshop Actions and find professional examples to use in your own design work.
Use an action to create a specific filter or style or just about anything else that you can do in Photoshop. “Record” the process and use it repeatedly. Don’t want to create your own? There are plenty of great options out there ready to download.
Latest Photoshop Action Articles

13 Jun 2023
70+ Best Photoshop Actions & Effects of 2023
Adobe Photoshop Actions are a great feature of the app, allowing you to create a process or workflow, record how it worked, and then easily repeat the process again for other photographs or design elements.
Today we’ve collected some of the best Photoshop actions out there, for photographers and graphic designers alike.
They cost just a few dollars but give you an incredibly powerful toolkit to easily repeat complex and intricate processes.

31 May 2023
25+ Best Wedding Photoshop Actions & Effects
Adding stylish effects to wedding photos (such as retro, rustic, and moody filters) is a popular trend these days. One of the easiest ways to add this type of effect to your photos is with these—our picks of the best wedding Photoshop actions!
Whether you’re trying to improve your own wedding photos before uploading them to social media and your wedding website or you’re a freelance designer/photographer working on a whole bunch of wedding photo albums, these Photoshop actions will definitely come in handy.
In this post, we’re featuring a collection of the best wedding Photoshop actions you can use to instantly optimize your photos to make them look extra special (and a summary of the most popular wedding photo effect styles).

29 May 2023
45+ Best Vintage & Retro Photoshop Actions & Effects
Design trends come and go, but there has always been a trend that stood the test of time—vintage and retro-themed designs. Today we’re diving into our favourite vintage Photoshop actions!
No matter how advanced design and technology becomes, there will always be people who appreciate the beauty in classic and retro design. This is why we still see vintage themed posters, greeting cards, banners, and even photographs everywhere.
Photoshop makes it easier than ever to create authentic vintage effects. In this post, we’re featuring a collection of the best retro and vintage Photoshop actions you can use to apply retro effects to your own designs with just a single mouse click.
We’re also featuring tips for vintage and retro designs, with advice on how to use and apply these Photoshop actions.

12 May 2023
20+ Best Artistic Photoshop Actions & Filters for Art Photo Effects
If you enjoy experimenting with cool artistic Photoshop effects, you’ll want to download all of the art photo filters and effects on this list.
As huge fans of Photoshop actions, we can’t get enough of collecting cool Photoshop actions. And we know you feel the same way too. That’s why we wanted to create yet another collection of Photoshop actions.
In this collection, we focus on PS actions and filters that allow you to add artistic effects to your photos. There are many different styles of actions, overlays, and PSD templates for you to enjoy. Have a look.
What Is a Photoshop Action?

A Photoshop action is a “recorded” command that you can use later to perform tasks in the popular editing software. Using actions can help you tap into creative techniques, cutting edge post-processing styles and beautiful effects.
Here’s how Photoshop describes it:
An action is a series of tasks that you play back on a single file or a batch of files—menu commands, panel options, tool actions, and so on. For example, you can create an action that changes the size of an image, applies an effect to the image, and then saves the file in the desired format.
Actions can include steps that let you perform tasks that cannot be recorded (for example, using a painting tool). Actions can also include modal controls that let you enter values in a dialog box while playing an action.
5 Places to Find Photoshop Actions

While you can create your own Photoshop actions, there is an abundance of them available from third parties, with paid and free options. The nice thing about downloading a Photoshop action is that it can help you get comfortable with this design technique if you haven’t used it before.
Here are five places to find Photoshop actions for your projects:
- Envato Elements has a huge library of Photoshop actions that are all available to subscribers at no extra cost.
- Fix the Photo has a good collection of actions for portrait touch-ups that are all free to use.
- Shutter Pulse has an extensive library of Photoshop actions, most of which are designed for photos of people with easy to see previews.
- Creative Market includes a library of nearly 300 actions in .psd format that you can purchase one at a time for as little as a few bucks.
- Creative Tacos has a collection of several hundred Photoshop actions that are grouped by category for easy search and filtering.
How to Add an Action to Photoshop

Adding an action to Photoshop is easier than you might think. Once you add an action it is part of your Photoshop library and available to use over and over again.
Here’s how you do it:
- Download and unzip the action file.
- Open Photoshop and navigate to Window, then Actions. The Actions Panel will open. (The placement often defaults to the top right.)
- From the menu, select Load Actions, navigate to the saved, unzipped action and select it. The file you want to install ends with .atn. Many downloadable actions also include readme or instruction files that are not installed.
- The action is ready for use.