Photographers don’t usually rush to learn how to batch edit in Photoshop since Lightroom is the better choice for working with multiple images. However, there is a workaround to edit multiple photos at a time in Photoshop; it just takes a few more steps.
You can use two options to edit batches of images, although there is only one method of exporting these images. Using these processes will save you plenty of time if you have similar edits to add to several photos simultaneously.
How To Batch Edit Images Using Photoshop Actions
Step 1: Go To Windows > Actions To Create A New Action Set
Open the tab of your first image, and open the Actions panel. If you can’t see it in your workspace, go to Window > Actions. Photoshop has default actions available, and you can see if any actions contain the editing process you want to add.
Then, click on the Folder icon at the bottom of the panel to create a new Action Set. An action set is helpful if you have a few similar edit processes you want to create and group together.
Name the action set and click OK to add it. The folder will appear in the Actions panel. Keep the folder selected.
Step 2: Create A New Action With The Plus Icon And Press Record
Now, you can add a new action to the folder you created by clicking the Plus icon at the bottom of the panel.
Name the new Action and press Record to start recording your action. Remember that anything you do from now on will be added to the action, so move straight to the editing process you want to add.
Step 3: Add The Edits You’d Like To The Image And Press Stop
You can now add the edits to your image. For example, I added a Color Balance adjustment layer by clicking on the icon in the Adjustments panel. Then, I used the various sliders to add a color effect to the image.
Once you have added the edits, press the Stop icon at the bottom of the panel. If you accidentally added an extra edit, it is added to the action even if you used Control + Z (Win) or Command + Z (Mac) to undo the edit. You can delete any part of the action by clicking on the layer and then on the bin icon.
Step 4: Open The Next Image And Press Play
To add the edit action you just created to the remaining photos, open the next image tab and the Actions Panel. Then, select the action and click on the Play icon in the panel.
The adjustment is automatically added to the image. Repeat this process for all the photos to add the new edits to the batch of images.
Step 5: Go To File > Automate > Create Droplet To Create An Action Droplet (Optional)
You can create a Droplet to apply this action to a large batch of images or share the process. Just drag and drop a group of images over the droplet to automatically run the editing process. To create a droplet, go to File > Automate > Create Droplet.
In the Create Droplet window, set the location where you want to save the droplet. You can also name the droplet when choosing a location.
Then, select the Set and Action you want the droplet to use. When you have added the settings, click OK.
Open the folder where you saved the droplet, and you will see the droplet icon and the name you set. You can now drag and drop multiple images over the icon to batch-edit photos.
How To Batch Edit Images In Photoshop Using Camera Raw
Step 1: Open The Images As Smart Objects
To save time, especially when you have several images to edit, you can open the files as smart objects. This automatically converts the image layer to a Smart Object when the file is opened. To do this, go to File > Open as Smart Object.
Then, find your files on your hard drive, select the images you want to edit, and click Open.
The files will be added to separate tabs in Photoshop, which you can click through using the bar above the photo workspace.
Step 2: Click Filter > Camera Raw Filter To Open The Camera Raw Window
Open the tab with the first image you want to edit. Then, open the image in Camera Raw by selecting the image layer and then going to Filter > Camera Raw Filter. You can also press Shift + Control + A (Win) or Shift + Command + A (Mac) as a shortcut.
Your image will open up in the Camera Raw workspace.
Step 3: Edit The First Image Using The Adjustment Sliders
Once your image is open in Camera Raw, you can edit it as you’d like the entire batch to look. Use the various sliders in the right-hand panel to add multiple adjustments to the image.
You can use the icon at the bottom to toggle between before and after views.
Step 4: Copy The Edit Settings And Exit Camera Raw
You can copy the settings you changed and then paste them on the rest of the images. To copy the settings, click on the three dots on the right-hand side of the window. Then, select Copy Edit Settings from the options.
You can also use the shortcut Control + C (Win) or Command + C (Mac) to copy the adjustments quickly.
Once you have copied the settings, exit the window by clicking OK. You will notice a smart filter sub-layer is added to the image layer. You can double-click on the sub-layer whenever you need to make finer adjustments to each image.
Step 5: Open The Next Image In Camera Raw And Paste The Settings
To paste the adjustments onto the next picture, open it in Camera Raw by opening the image tab. Then select the image layer and use the shortcut Shift + Control + A (Win) or Shift + Command + A (Mac).
Then, paste the settings by clicking on the three dots and selecting Apply Previous Settings. You can also use the shortcut Control + V (Win) or Command + V (Mac) to paste the settings.
You will see the edits added to your photo.
Click OK to close the window.
Step 6: Repeat Steps 5 And 6 For The Rest Of The Images
You can now move through the rest of the photos and repeat the last two steps by opening Camera Raw, Shift + Control + A (Win), or Shift + Command + A (Mac), and pasting the settings Control + V (Win) or Command + V (Mac). Do this until all your images have the same edits added.
How To Batch Export Images In Photoshop
Step 1: Go To File > Scripts > Image Processor To Start Batch Exporting
Go to File > Scripts > Image Processor to start the batch export process. This opens the Image Processor Window.
Step 2: Change The Export Settings
Check the box next to Use Open Images to ensure you export the images you just edited. Then, set the export location. You can choose the same location as the original files, and a new folder will be added, or you can set a new location.
Next, you can set the File Type. You can save the images as JPEG, PSD, or TIFF files. Each option has a few settings you can adjust. You can also check the Resize to Fit box if you are working with images of the same orientation and want to resize them to a specific size.
Lastly, you can set Preferences if you want to, such as adding a different action you created. You can also add copyright information to the batch of photos.
Step 3: Click Run And Locate Your Images
Click Run at the top of the window to export your images. If you set it to save in the same folder and receive any error messages, try saving the images in a different folder, as this should solve the problem.
Go to the folder you saved the images in, and you will find a new folder named JPEG (or the format you saved them in). Open this folder to find your batch edited and saved files.
