Merge or Flatten Image?

[Gweedo8]

What is the difference between merging and flattening an image?

[GaryK]

I'm not 100% sure on this one. I think you can merge specific layers but you have to flatten all the layer. I don't think that a whole merged image is functionally different from a flattened image.

Hopefully someone who does this merging and flattening stuff, will be along soon.

[Pauline]

If you flatten, you are making all the layers into one. With merge, you can just merge a couple layers, or "all visible' layers, and still keep some layers intact. Say you have an object selected and you have done a few different things to it. Each time you do something you use a new layer. When you are done and satisfied with how it looks you can merge all the layers to do with just that one object. I hope that makes sense to you.

[MikeH]

Gary and Pauline have summed this up... The difference between Flatten and Merge is that Flatten applies to all of the layers but with Merge you have some choice which layers you apply it to.

Say to have 6 layers:

• Flatten will take all 6 layers and combine them into a single layer. If you save a layered psd file as a jpeg image then PSE will flatten the layers automatically.
• Merge allows you to (for example) combine layers 1,2 and 3, or just layers 4 and 5 etc.

There are some rules around merging layers but the Help text provides a good description of these.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[jo]

If you have any layers with transparency that you want to keep, merge will do that -- flatten will turn the transparency off.