Thứ Sáu, Tháng Hai 7, 2025
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How to paste an image into a selection in Photoshop

This tutorial will show you how to copy an image and paste it into a selection within another image using the Paste Into command in Adobe Photoshop. The article will also show you how to fix any perspective problems between two images using Photoshop's Free Transform command.

Step 1: Select an area to paste the image into

The example will select an area inside the TV so that the second image can be pasted there. Since the screen is just a polygon with straight edges, it can be selected using Photoshop's Polygonal Lasso Tool.

On the toolbar, click and hold the standard Lasso Tool to reveal other tools hidden behind it. Then, select the Polygonal Lasso Tool from the menu.

Select the Polygonal Lasso Tool.
Select the Polygonal Lasso Tool.

How to draw a selection with the Polygonal Lasso Tool

To use the Polygonal Lasso Tool, simply click around the area you want to select to add points. Photoshop will then connect the points with a straight line. So the idea is to click on the points where the line needs to change direction. The example image will be the 4 corners of the screen.

Click the upper left corner of the screen to add a starting point to the selection. Then, moving clockwise, click the upper right corner to add a second point. Add a third point in the lower right corner, then add a fourth point in the lower left corner.

Don't click and drag with the Polygonal Lasso Tool. Just click to add points then release the mouse button. And if you accidentally click on the wrong point, press the Backspace key on a PC or the Delete key on a Mac to undo the last point.

Click with the Polygonal Lasso Tool in each corner of the screen to add points.
Click with the Polygonal Lasso Tool in each corner of the screen to add points.

To complete the selection, click the starting point again. In the case of the example, that point is in the upper left corner.

Click the starting point to complete the selection.
Click the starting point to complete the selection.

The selection border appears and is ready to paste the image inside.

The area was selected using Photoshop's Polygonal Lasso Tool.
The area was selected using Photoshop's Polygonal Lasso Tool.

Step 2: Open the image to paste into the selection

Once the selection is selected, open the image you want to paste. Switch to the second image by clicking the Document tab at the top.

Open the image to paste into the selection in Photoshop.
Open the image to paste into the selection in Photoshop.

Step 3: Select and copy the image

Select the image by going to the menu Select in the menu bar and select All. A selection border will appear around the image.

Go to Select > All.” width=”262″ height=”138″ class=”lazy” data-src=”https://st.quantrimang.com/photos/image/2024/12/18/dan-hinh-anh-vao-vung-chon-trong-photoshop-6.png”/><figcaption>Go to Select > All.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Then copy the image by going to the menu <strong>Edit </strong>and choose <strong>Copy</strong>.</p>
<figure><img decoding=Step 4: Switch back to the original image

Switch back to your first image (the one with the selection) by clicking its tab.

Switch back to an image with a selection.
Switch back to an image with a selection.

Step 5: Paste the image into the selection

Then, to paste the copied image into the selection, go to the menu Editselect Paste Special Already Paste Into.

Go to Edit > Paste Special > Paste Into.” width=”486″ height=”302″ class=”lazy” data-src=”https://st.quantrimang.com/photos/image/2024/12/18/dan-hinh-anh-vao-vung-chon-trong-photoshop-9.png”/><figcaption>Go to Edit > Paste Special > Paste Into.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The image appears inside the selection. There's still some work to do. The subject is off-center and the perspective is incorrect. So we'll fix both of these problems next.</p>
<figure><img loading=
Initial result after pasting the image into the selection.

Photoshop converts the selection into a layer mask

Note that after pasting the image into the selection, the selection border has disappeared. That's because Photoshop has converted the selection into a layer mask.

In the table Layerswe see the mask in the layer mask thumbnail. The white part of the mask is the area we have selected and is where the image on the layer displays. And the black part is the area outside the selection and where the image is hidden.

Photoshop's Layers panel displays layer mask thumbnails.
Photoshop's Layers panel displays layer mask thumbnails.

If you hold down the key Shift on your keyboard and click on the layer mask thumbnail, you will temporarily turn off the mask.

Hold Shift and click the thumbnail to turn off the layer mask.
Hold Shift and click the thumbnail to turn off the layer mask.

When the mask is off, the entire image is visible.

Turning off the layer mask will reveal the entire image.
Turning off the layer mask will reveal the entire image.

Click the layer mask thumbnail again to turn the mask back on and display the image only in the area you selected.

Result when turning on layer mask.
Result when turning on layer mask.

Step 6: Resize the image inside the selected area

Also, notice in the Layers panel that the area between the image thumbnail and the mask thumbnail is blank, meaning the link icon is not visible.

Typically, the image and its layer mask are linked, meaning it is not possible to resize one without resizing the other. But when pasting an image into the selection, the image and mask are not linked, so we can resize the image without affecting the mask.

The image and layer mask are not linked together in the Layers panel
The image and layer mask are not linked together in the Layers panel

Make sure the image is active, not the layer mask, by clicking on the image thumbnail.

Click the image thumbnail in Photoshop's Layers panel
Click the image thumbnail in Photoshop's Layers panel

Then go to the menu Edit and choose Free Transform.

Go to Edit > Free Transform.” width=”269″ height=”147″ class=”lazy” data-src=”https://st.quantrimang.com/photos/image/2024/12/18/dan-hinh-anh-vao-vung-chon-trong-photoshop-17.png”/><figcaption>Go to Edit > Free Transform.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Box <strong>Free Transform</strong> and handles appear around the actual size of the image, including areas hidden by the layer mask.</p>
<figure><img loading=
Free Transform box and handles around pasted image.

To resize the image, click and drag the handles. In a moment, we'll show you how to fix any perspective problems with your images. But for now, the article will only focus on width by dragging the side handles into the sides of the TV.

Resize the pasted image inside the selection.
Resize the pasted image inside the selection.

Step 7: Adjust the perspective of the image

Because the image is straight but the TV is tilted, we have a perspective problem. So to adjust perspective, right click inside the Transform box and select Perspective.

Right click and select Perspective from the menu.
Right click and select Perspective from the menu.

In Perspective mode, dragging a corner handle horizontally or vertically will move the handle in the opposite corner along with it but in the opposite direction.

So drag a corner handle up or down until the corners of both images are aligned. For example, we will drag the top right corner handle up.

Drag the top right corner handle up to align the top corners of the image.
Drag the top right corner handle up to align the top corners of the image.

Fine-tune perspective using Distort mode

Sometimes Perspective mode is all you need to align the top and bottom corners together. Other times, you can't align one corner without skewing the other.

Note that the top corner is now correct but the bottom corner is not.

Perspective mode fixed the top corner of the image but the bottom corner did not
Perspective mode fixed the top corner of the image but the bottom corner did not

To fix that, right-click inside the Transform box and switch from Perspective to Distort mode.

Choose the Distort command from the Transform menu.
Choose the Distort command from the Transform menu.

In Distort mode, each corner handle can move independently. Therefore, you can drag the bottom right corner handle up to align the bottom corners without affecting the top corner.

If you hold down the Shift key on your keyboard while dragging, you limit the direction you can move, making it easier to drag straight up or down.

Distort mode allows you to drag any corner handle without moving other handles.
Distort mode allows you to drag any corner handle without moving other handles.

Switch back to Free Transform mode

The author wanted the basketball player to take up more space on the screen. But before the image can be resized again, it's necessary to right-click inside the Transform box and switch from Distort or Perspective mode back to Free Transform.

Switch back to Free Transform mode in Photoshop.
Switch back to Free Transform mode in Photoshop.

Then, drag the corner handles outward to resize the image.

Resize the image so that the subject fills more of the selected area.
Resize the image so that the subject fills more of the selected area.

Reposition the image

You can also drag inside the Transform box to reposition the image and center the subject.

Reposition the image within the selected area.
Reposition the image within the selected area.

Fix any new perspective issues

If resizing the image causes the perspective to be lost again, right-click inside the Transform box and switch back to Distort mode.

Switch back to Distort mode for final editing.
Switch back to Distort mode for final editing.

Then drag any corner handles as needed.

Fix any new issues with image perspective.
Fix any new issues with image perspective.

Step 8: Close Free Transform

To accept and close Free Transform, click the check mark in the Options bar.

Close Free Transform by clicking the check mark in the Options bar
Close Free Transform by clicking the check mark in the Options bar

After resizing the image, centering the object on the screen, and fixing the remaining perspective issues, here is the final result.

The image is pasted last.
The image is pasted last.

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