Opening and Closing Files

Before you can do any image editing in Photoshop Elements, you need to find and open your photo files. You can open files using either the Open command on the File menu, or the Open file shortcut on the shortcuts bar. Both of these Open options will display the Open dialog box. The Open dialog box includes features for limiting your search to specific file formats and displaying an image preview.

Photoshop Elements also offers a third option for opening your files. The Photo Browser is the core component of Photoshop Elements Organizer environment. It's a powerful and helpful tool and is covered in depth in Chapter 13, "The Windows Photo Organizer."

To open a file from the Open dialog box

1.	To find and open a file, do one of the following: From the File menu, choose Open (Figure 1.10), or press Ctrl+O. Figure 1.10. Choose File > Open to open an image file. On the shortcuts bar, click the Open icon (Figure 1.11). Figure 1.11. You can also open a file by clicking the Open icon on the shortcuts bar. The Open dialog box appears (Figure 1.12). Figure 1.12. The Open dialog box lets you browse for specific file types.
2.	Browse to the folder that contains your images (Figure 1.13). Figure 1.13. Browse to navigate to any folder or file.
3.	To open the file you want, do one of the following: Double-click the filename. Select the filename and click the Open button. The image will open in its own document window.

To close a file

Do one of the following:

• Click the close button on the title bar for the active window (Figure 1.14).
  
  

  Figure 1.14. Click the close button in the upper-right corner of the title bar.

  

  
  
• From the File menu, choose Close (Figure 1.15), or press Ctrl+W.
  
  

  Figure 1.15. From the File menu, choose Close.

  

  
  
• To close all open files at once, from the File menu, choose Close All, or press Alt+Ctrl+W.
  
  

Tip

• If your document contains unsaved changes, Photoshop Elements asks you if you'd like to save those changes. Read on for more information on saving files.