◆ Photoshop · combine

Automate Bulk Crops

Set up an action to crop and export hundreds of product images: record an action that applies the required crop, resiz…

2heights
2tasks
1roles do it

The same job, four prompts

do it · improve it · decide · become
AExecute — “help me do it”Set up an action to crop and export hundreds of product images: record an action that applies…+
Set up an action to crop and export hundreds of product images: record an action that applies the required crop, resizes to spec, and exports web‑optimized [jpgs], then run a batch process on the product folder and deliver the output to the engineering ingest folder.
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.
BImprove — “do it better”Before I hand this automation to the engineering team, make it reliable at scale: include…+
Before I hand this automation to the engineering team, make it reliable at scale: include validation steps for failed selections, log filename mappings, test on a sample of [N=50] images with varying aspect ratios, and deliver the action plus a short runbook describing handling for outliers.
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid
The tool
Actions and Automation

Automate repetitive tasks in Photoshop by recording a sequence of operations and playing them back.

  1. 1

    Select Windows > Actions to open the Actions panel.

    Best practicePress F9 to quickly open the Actions panel.

  2. 2

    Select New Action from the Actions panel menu.

  3. 3

    Name the Action and then click Record.

    NoteAn action is a sequence of recorded tasks, such as menu commands and tool operations.

  4. 4

    Perform the sequence of tasks you want to automate.

    CautionAvoid recording absolute values if the action needs to work on different sized documents.

  5. 5

    Select Stop from the Actions panel menu or click the Stop button.

  6. 6

    To play an action, select the action name in the Actions panel.

  7. 7

    Click the Play button in the Actions panel or choose Play from the panel menu.

  8. 8

    To apply an action to multiple files, use File > Automate > Batch.

    NoteBatch processing allows applying actions to entire folders of images.

  9. 9

    Configure the Batch settings, including the source folder and destination, then click OK.

Actions can standardize brushes, LUTs, and export presets across multiple documents for consistent results.

Photoshop REST APIs can be used with Power Automate to build advanced image workflows and automation scripts.

Glossary

words on this page
Actions panel menuA menu within the Actions panel providing options for managing, loading, and playing actions.ExampleFrom the Actions panel menu, you can load a new set of pre-made actions.
New ActionThe command used to begin recording a new sequence of steps for automation.ExampleYou click 'New Action' to record the steps for resizing and watermarking multiple images automatically.
Output ToA setting that determines where the results of an operation, like a fill, will be placed.ExampleYou set the fill operation to create its result on a brand new layer.
AutomateTo perform a sequence of predefined tasks automatically, often using recorded actions.ExampleYou can automate the process of converting a folder of images to a different file format.
PresetsSaved configurations of settings that can be applied quickly to tools or adjustments.ExampleApplying a 'Warm Tone' preset instantly changes the color balance of your photograph.

The real tasks

1 of them
Set up an action or script to run repeated image crops and exports for hundreds of product images the engineering pipeline will ingest.

Who does this

1 roles
UX / Web Designer

Questions people ask

honest answers

Because you rarely think 'I want the redaction tool'. You think 'I have to share this without leaking the client's details'. Start from the need, and the feature finds you.

Real. Every job here was drawn from what people in real roles were actually seen doing in Photoshop — not a feature checklist.

No. Each page gives you a ready prompt you can paste into an AI assistant, plus the plain steps to do it yourself. Start with either — the goal is the finished job, not the tool.