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photoshop view 2 windows at same time


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Dual View in Photoshop

A lot of people don’t realize you can view your image at different sizes at the same time in Photoshop. This short tutorial shows how to open multiple windows and view them at the same time. If you want to view multiple images, view the same image large and small as you work on it, or use dual monitors, this is the Photoshop tutorial for you. I say tutorial, its really just a quick tip and you can view the 2 minute video to see this in action. I’ll drop some additional tips here too. Enjoy!

Here is a Panorama I recently shot out of a helicopter in Kauai, Hawaii. It’s nice to show the whole image, it helps with composition and balance of toning, as well as preview how it might look on social media or printed. However, you need to zoom in to work on the image

Press Crtl/Cmd+1 or double-click the hand tool for the fit to screen view. 

Let’s zoom into 100% view. Press Crtl/Cmd+0 or double-click the magnifying glass tool. 

actual size in photoshop

100% view is the best for detailed work and retouching and the accurate way to see sharpening or noise reduction.

How about seeing 2 windows, one at full view and one at actual size?

Choose Window>Arrange>New Window for image name.

photoshop view windows at same time

Now you will see a second tab. You can change the zoom level on each tab, and it’s the same image.

tabs in photoshop

But this would be more useful, if you could view both windows at the same time.

Here is how to put 2 windows side by side in Photoshop

Choose Window>Arrange>Tile

view 2 images at same time

Now you see both windows at the same time. Nice!

digfferent sizes in photoshop

If you work in one window, you will see that the second window updates, so you can work at multiple views od the same image at once.

view 2 monitors in photoshop

Working in Multiple Monitors in Photoshop

If you are like me, you work with 2 or more displays. Drag the tab of one of the windows into the second monitor. Notice you can have a live view of the same image on monitor 2 while working on monitor 1. In your display settings choose extend for your monitor and not mirror for this to work.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s little tip.

 


37 responses to “photoshop view 2 windows at same time”

  1. I had just asked my husband about this. I had seen it a long time ago, from somewhere, from someone and LOVED the idea of a dual view. I now know it was probably you. So this tutorial is very timely. Thanks.

  2. Ok, wonderful tip….. but the big question is how did you do a wide pano from what I assume was a helicopter ??? Amazing shot and another great tip…..

    • Thanks, yes this was from a helicopter the doors were off, so I was able to get my camera out there while we were hovering.

  3. I have used the dual windows from time to time. But, I had never considered moving one image onto my second screen! Why, I do not know?

  4. I just started using two monitors on a windows 10 PC. Can I send one of my two open views to one monitor and the other to 2nd allowing me Full screen size viewing?

    • You can’t work on your image in Navigator. Also this tip predates Navigator which came in Photoshop 5 I think?

  5. I didn’t know. I’ll now use this. Thanks for being the guy that points us to the most useful bits of Photoshop.

  6. Thanks Colin, I am in the UK, I am signed up and have been receiving your regular tutorials and LFL but not live. I have learnt so much from watching your tutorials and especially love these simple little bits of info.

  7. Thnx! I use the two image view a lot to compare different images, but didn’t know I could do this for the same photo. As you say, this will come in handy when retouching. Thank you!

  8. `Did not know this way to view, thanks for the. tip. I always tile vertically for multiple images but this works great for Dual View!

  9. Great tip. I did not know this. I can see that if I am doing dodging and burning on an image that this could be useful. Thanks

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