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Unlike a keyboard shortcut, which can only invoke a command, an action can open a command, apply changes to an image, step through another command, apply it, and even save a file in a particular way. You can create your own actions for steps that you do over and over, save the actions, and add them to the Actions palette.

To create an action, you first record a sequence of steps. You then name and save your new action in the Actions palette. The next time that you need to apply the same steps to an image, you play the action, and Photoshop automatically applies the series of operations to the open file or even to an entire folder of files.

Actions are easy to create, and they can help you automate your work for repetitive tasks, leaving you more time to work on creative projects.

Did You Know?

You can load other prerecorded actions such as Frames or Image Effects included
with Photoshop CS4 by clicking the Actions palette’s drop-down menu and clicking a set in the
bottom section of the menu.

Try This!

You can make the actions easier to find by selecting Button Mode
in the Actions palette’s drop-down menu. Your actions change to color-coded buttons.