How to Assign a Custom Keyboard Shortcut to Select Subject in Photoshop

Navigating to Select > Subject every time you need to isolate a subject adds up to a surprising amount of wasted clicks. Photoshop lets you assign a custom keyboard shortcut to almost any menu command — including Select Subject — so you can trigger it instantly without touching the menus.

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Practical Tips

Follow these steps to set up and use a custom shortcut for Select Subject in Photoshop.

• Go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts, then set the drop-down to Application Menus to access all menu-based commands.
• Search for Select Subject in the list, click on it, and type your preferred key — F3 works well since it has no default assignment in Photoshop.
• Click Accept, then OK to save the shortcut — Photoshop will warn you if the key is already in use by another command.
• Once set, press your assigned key at any time to run Select Subject instantly, without opening any menu.
• Apply this same method to any other frequently used commands that lack a default shortcut, such as layer merging or smart object conversion.

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