How can I crop a single layer in Photoshop?

Question

Is it possible to crop a single layer, I can almost get the desired outcome using the eraser on a layer but surely it can be done with cropping?

Answer 1

If you mean cropping to a selection boundary, yes it is possible. In this case, you may use any selection tool to create the particular selection you want, then press command + 7 or Alt + 7 on the keyboard to create a new layer with the selection, or use the layer mask option by clicking on "Add a mask" located at the bottom of the layer palette.

Answer 2

In Photoshop, “cropping” is inclusive of any & all layers. But to achieve the same thing for just one layer, it’s just a matter of:

1) Select the area you want to keep (doesn’t necessarily need to be rectangular, as with normal cropping).

2) Use Select—> Inverse to reverse the selection to its opposite.

3) Press Delete.

Voilà—cropped layer!

BTW, these steps could be recorded in an Action, then assigned to a button, readily available for one-click layer cropping.

Answer 3

Hello! You cannot crop a single layer in Photoshop. I would also suggest that you do not use an eraser tool in Photoshop because this is destructive to your layers. You lose information and can never get it back. Using layer masks is your best option. Are you familiar with layer masking in Photoshop?