TIP 69: Using the Eyedropper Tool

The Eyedropper tool in the Color palette allows you to quickly sample color from anywhere on your monitor. It even works in other windows and other applications that might be open in the background. For example, the Eyedropper allows you to match the color of text selected in your Web page with a color in an open Photoshop document or Illustrator logo.

Removing Color

We've shown you several ways to manage and apply color, but what about removing it? Select the text or color field you want to change and click the Remove color icon (empty white box with a red line through it) on the left edge of the Color palette. You can achieve the same result by selecting the Type > Remove Color command for selected text.

Select the Eyedropper tool in the Color palette and place your mouse pointer over the color you want to sample (Figure 69). When you see a preview of the sampled color in the top left corner of the Color palette, click to sample the color to apply it to your selection.

Figure 69. Use the Eyedropper to sample color anywhere on your screen.