How to edit text you've already placed in Photoshop CC 2019

To change text in Photoshop CC 2019, select the Type tool from the toolbox on the left, then click directly on the text you want to edit. The text will become editable — you can now delete characters, add new ones, or replace the entire line. When you're done, click elsewhere on the canvas or press Escape to finish editing.

This works whether the text is a single word, a full paragraph, or text spread across multiple layers. Photoshop keeps each text block on its own layer, so you can edit one without affecting the others. If you can't click on the text to edit it, make sure the Type tool is selected (it looks like a capital A) and that you're clicking directly on the letters themselves, not just near them.

Key Takeaways

  • Select the Type tool (the A icon in the toolbox) and click on any text in your image to edit it directly.
  • You can change individual letters, whole words, or the entire text block without affecting other layers.
  • Press Escape or click elsewhere on the canvas when you're finished editing to lock the text in place.
  • If text appears locked or won't edit, check that the Type tool is selected and you're clicking on the actual letters, not the background.
  • Text formatting (font, size, color) can be changed before or after you edit the words themselves.

Selecting the Type tool and clicking your text

Open your image in Photoshop CC 2019 and look at the toolbox on the left side of the screen. The Type tool is marked with a capital letter A. Click it once to set up it. Your cursor will change to show a text insertion point (a blinking line).

Now click directly on any text in your image. The text will become editable — you'll see a blue outline around the text box and a cursor inside it. You can now select and change the words. Click and drag to highlight multiple letters, or triple-click to select an entire paragraph.

Deleting, adding, or replacing words

Once the text is selected and the cursor is active, use standard keyboard shortcuts to edit. Position your cursor where you want to make a change by clicking at that spot. Use Backspace to delete the character before the cursor, or Delete to remove the character after it.

Type new text to replace what you've deleted, or straightforward add new letters where the cursor sits. If you want to replace all the text at once, press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) to select everything in that text box, then type your new text. The old text will disappear as you type.

Finishing your edit and moving to the next task

When you're satisfied with your changes, press Escape on your keyboard. This deselects the text and locks your edits in place. You can also click anywhere else on the canvas outside the text box — Photoshop will automatically finish editing and return to your normal workspace.

If you need to edit the same text again later, just select the Type tool and click on it once more. Your changes are saved to that text layer, and you can edit it as many times as you need before you flatten or export your image.

Changing font, size, or color while editing

While the text is active and you have the Type tool selected, you can change how it looks without closing the text editor. Highlight the text you want to format by clicking and dragging across it, or select all of it with Ctrl+A or Command+A.

The Character panel appears on the right side of the screen (or you can open it from the Window menu). Here you can change the font name, increase or decrease the size, adjust the color, and modify other properties like bold or italic. Any changes you make explore only to the text you've highlighted, so you can have different fonts or sizes in the same text box if you need to.

What to do if the text won't edit

If you click on text and nothing happens, the Type tool may not be selected. Look at the toolbox on the left — the A icon should be highlighted or darker than the others. If it's not, click it to set up the Type tool.

Another common issue is clicking near the text but not directly on the letters. Move your cursor until it sits right on top of a letter, then click. If the text is very small or in a light color, this can be tricky — zoom in using the View menu or scroll wheel to make it easier to click precisely. If the text layer is locked (you'll see a small lock icon next to the layer name in the Layers panel), click the lock icon to unlock it before you try to edit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit text without selecting the Type tool every time?

No — you must have the Type tool selected to edit any text in Photoshop. Once you select it, you can click on different text blocks one after another without switching tools. But if you switch to a different tool (like the Move tool or Brush), you'll need to select the Type tool again before you can edit text.

What if I want to change the text color?

Highlight the text with the Type tool active, then look at the color swatch in the toolbox (it shows two overlapping squares). Click the foreground color square to open the color picker, choose your new color, and click OK. The highlighted text will change to that color when ready.

Does editing text in Photoshop change the original image file?

Only if you save the file. Photoshop keeps text on separate layers, so you can edit it without permanently changing your image. Save as a PSD file to keep the text editable later, or export as JPG or PNG if you want a final version. The original image file stays unchanged until you explicitly save over it.

Can I undo text changes after I've closed the text editor?

Yes. Use Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) to undo your last action, even after you've clicked away from the text. You can undo multiple steps by pressing the shortcut repeatedly. If you've already saved and closed the file, you'll need to reopen it to access the undo history.