How to Outline Text in Photoshop

Aaron Donald July 3, 2022

If you want to make certain words stand out from the rest of your text, one of the options is to outline the desired word. Photoshop allows you to choose among countless options for colors, borders, opacity, etc., and offers many alternatives for outlining text, depending on the version you’re using.

If you’re interested in learning how to make your text distinctive, you’re at the right place. This article will discuss how to outline text in Photoshop and offer detailed step-by-step guides on the best methods.

How to Outline Text in Photoshop Elements

If you’re using Photoshop Elements and want to make your text stand out, follow the steps below:

Launch Photoshop Elements and open an existing document if you have one, or create a new one.
Type the text you want to outline. Ensure you can see it clearly by zooming in or increasing the size.
Copy the layer by typing Ctrl + J.
Rename the layers, so you know which one you’re working on. We recommend working on the copied version and leave the original intact. If you make a mistake, you can always go back to the original and start over.
Go to Layer.
Press Layer Style.
Open Style Settings.
Select Stroke, customize the settings, including color, size, and opacity, and then press Ok.

There’s also another method you can use:

Select the text you want to outline by holding Ctrl on Windows or the Command Key on a Mac and click on the layer thumbnail.
Create a new layer.
Go to Select.
Press Modify, and then select Expand. Here, you can customize the selected borders.
Select the paint bucket, choose the color, and click anywhere between the text and the borders.
Go to Select > Deselect or type Ctrl + D on Windows Cmd + D on Mac to deselect the text.
Toggle off the text layer.

How to Outline Text in Photoshop for Print

When preparing your file for print, you need to convert the text to outlines. That way, you ensure the changes you made to your font are preserved and the text’s position is saved.

The process is simple and requires only a few steps:

Right-click on the text layer and click on Convert to Shape.
Save your file.

Can you Easily Outline Text in Photoshop on an iPad

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to outline text in Photoshop if you’re using an iPad. You can customize your text by changing its font, color, opacity, etc., but you can’t outline it.

How to Outline Text in Photoshop CS6

If you’re using Photoshop CS6 and want to outline your text, check out the steps below:

Launch Photoshop and type the text you want to outline or open an existing document.
Go to the layers section, right-click the text layer, and select Blending Options.
Mark the checkbox next to Stroke.
Customize the Size, Position, Blend Mode, Opacity, and Color of the outline.
When you’re done, tap Ok.

How to Outline Text in Photoshop CS3

Outlining text in Photoshop CS3 is simple and can be done in a few steps. Follow the instructions below to outline your text:

Launch Photoshop and type the text you want to outline or upload an existing document.
Hold Ctrl or the Command Key on your keyboard and select the text layer.
Click on Select > Modify > Expand.
Expand your text depending on the size of the outlines you want. The more you expand the text, the bigger the outline. You’ll notice the dotted lines around your text have expanded. The space between the font and the dotted lines will be the outline.
Ensure the text layer is selected and tap the button at the bottom-right to add a new one.
Select the Paint Bucket tool on the left.
Choose the color of your outline.
Click anywhere on the text to apply the color and deselect the text.
Select Layer 1 and drag it under the text layer.

Make Your Text Stand Out

Whether you’re creating a logo, business card, an artistic design, or simply want to make your text stand out, it’s possible to do it in Photoshop in just a few steps. Even though the process can be different depending on the version you’re running, outlining a text isn’t difficult, and it can have multiple benefits.

We hope this guide helped you learn how to outline text in Photoshop and make it distinctive.

Do you often make your text stand out by outlining it? Which method do you use for that? Tell us in the comments section below.