Change Brush Size in Photoshop with Shortcuts
Quickly adjusting brush size and hardness helps you paint and retouch more efficiently. Use these built‑in controls and shortcuts to change diameter and edge softness on the fly.
Step-by-step instructions
Create a document and select the Brush Tool
Go to File → New and click Create (any preset is fine).
Select the Brush Tool (B).
Use the brush settings popover
Right‑click on the canvas to open the brush settings popover.
Drag Size to set the diameter (e.g., 15 px) and adjust Hardness (e.g., 0% for soft, 100% for hard).
Alternatively, use the brush dropdown in the Options bar at the top to change Size and Hardness.
Use bracket key shortcuts
Press ] to increase brush size.
Press [ to decrease brush size.
Use the drag shortcut for size and hardness
Hold Ctrl+Alt and right‑click, then drag left/right to decrease/increase size.
While holding the same keys, drag up/down to decrease/increase hardness.
Release to confirm and start painting.
