Intro – Getting Started with Photoshop – Research Guides at University of Michigan Library

Destructive vs. Non-Destructive Editing

There are millions of edits you can make in Photoshop, but know that all edits can be divided into two categories — destructive and non-destructive.

  • Destructive Edits

     

    – These edits alter or change the image information. A destructive edit directly manipulates the image’s pixels and therefore cannot or is very difficult to be reversed.
     

  • Non-Destructive Edits

    Edits that do not directly affect the image’s pixels until the image layers are flattened (by saving as a flattened image format or flattening layers), so one can make alterations using non-destructive tools without losing any image quality or

    information.


We recommend avoiding destructive edits whenever a non-destructive method is available. Below are some tips for common destructive edits.

  • Healing Tools

    – Many healing tools are destructive, so we recommend making a duplicate or copy of the layer before making any edits. (Right click on the layer name and select

    Duplicate Layer…)

  • Filters

    – Filters are also destructive unless you change your layer to a Smart Layer first. (Right click on the layer name and select

    Convert to Smart Object