How to Select Objects in Photoshop (Object Selection Tool + Object Finder)
Photoshop’s Object Selection Tool makes isolating people and objects fast, and the 2022 Object Finder speeds it up even more by letting you hover to preview and click to select. This tutorial shows both the classic drag-to-select method and the new hover-to-select workflow, plus how to correct mistakes when the AI misses. You’ll finish by applying your selection to a quick selective color effect.
Step-by-step instructions
Open the Object Selection Tool
In the toolbar, click and hold the Quick Selection/Magic Wand group, then choose Object Selection Tool.
In the Options bar, set Mode to Rectangle (default) or Lasso for freeform outlines.
If a selection is active from earlier, go to Select → Deselect.
Make a selection by dragging (classic method)
Drag a rectangle around the object; Photoshop analyzes the region and snaps the selection to the object.
Hold Shift and drag to add more objects/areas to the selection.
Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and drag to subtract areas you don’t want.
Use Object Finder to preview and configure objects
Ensure Object Finder (Options bar) is On and wait for the Refresh spinner to stop; click the Refresh icon to force a rescan if needed.
Click Show All Objects to display blue overlays for detected objects; press and hold N to temporarily show, release to hide (press again if it doesn’t toggle).
Click the gear icon to change Overlay Options: pick a color, set Opacity (default 65%), or set Outline to e.g., 2 px for borders instead of a fill.
Set Object Finder Mode to Auto Refresh (recommended) or Manual Refresh if you prefer to control rescans.
Hover and click to select with Object Finder
Turn off Show All Objects to exit the multi-overlay preview.
Hover over an object to preview the overlay for that item; click to select it.
Hold Shift and click another highlighted object to add it to the selection.
Hold Alt/Option and click a highlighted object to subtract it; click a different object (without modifiers) to replace the entire selection.
Fix selection misses manually (Rectangle/Lasso modes)
In the Options bar, set Mode to Rectangle or Lasso.
Hold Shift and drag around any missing area to add it to the selection; repeat if Photoshop misses small spots.
Hold Alt/Option and drag to subtract unwanted areas; use Lasso for irregular shapes.
Control Object Subtract and subtract precisely when AI struggles
Click the gear icon in the Options bar and confirm Object Subtract is On (default) to let Photoshop detect objects when Alt/Option-dragging to subtract.
If Photoshop keeps removing the wrong thing, open the gear and turn Object Subtract Off so your drawn region is subtracted literally.
Set Mode to Lasso, zoom in, then hold Alt/Option and carefully draw around the exact area to remove.
Optional Polygonal Lasso trick while subtracting: hold Alt/Option and click-drag to start with Lasso, release Alt/Option (keep mouse down), then hold Alt/Option again and release the mouse; you can now Alt/Option-click around with straight segments to complete the subtraction.
Apply the selection to a selective color effect
Click one subject to select, then Shift-click another to add both.
Go to Select → Inverse to select everything except your chosen subjects.
Go to Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Black & White, then click OK.
Photoshop creates a Black & White adjustment layer; the mask uses your selection so the background is B&W and your selected people stay in color.
