How to Decrease Layer Opacity in Photoshop
Lowering a layer’s opacity lets you blend it with the layers beneath. This tutorial shows three fast ways to decrease opacity so you can dial in the perfect transparency for your design. Use whichever method fits your workflow best.
Step-by-step instructions
1
Select your target layer
Open Window → Layers if needed to show the Layers panel.
Click the layer you want to make more transparent.
2
Use the Opacity slider
At the top of the Layers panel, click the arrow next to Opacity.
Drag the slider left to decrease opacity.
3
Scrub the Opacity label
Hover over the word “Opacity” until a scrubby cursor appears.
Drag left to decrease (or right to increase) and preview the change live.
4
Enter an exact value
Click the Opacity value field to highlight it.
Type a number (e.g., 50 for 50%) and press Enter/Return.
