Photoshop: Can I pick colors from elsewhere on the screen?

[Doctor Q]

Perhaps the answer to this question is so obvious that I'm missing it in front of my face.

When I select the foreground color in Photoshop using the Color Picker, I'd like to use an eyedropper to pick up a color from anywhere on my screen, outside the images in other Photoshop windows.

Is there a way I can do that?

 

[homerjward]

just take a screenshot and paste it into a blank photoshop document then get the color from that. least thats what i do.

 

[D0ct0rteeth]

no. Photoshop doesn't allow that.

You have to take the screencap like HomerJ said.

 

[jsw]

Not that it answers your question perfectly, but don't forget that you can use Applications->Utilities->DigitalColor Meter to grab values from anywhere on the screen.

 

[barrysfarm]

Actually you can.

With the eye dropper click within your current document (as if you were to select a color in it) and while keeping the mouse button down, move out of the document and you should be able to pick up the color from anywhere on the screen.

 

[Doctor Q]

just take a screenshot and paste it into a blank photoshop document then get the color from that. least thats what i do.

I've been using that as a workaround, but it's a pain because of the many steps: take the screenshot, open it in Photoshop, grab the color, close the image, and delete the file. You can save a little by capturing into the clipboard and pasting into a new image, but it's still a bother.

Not that it answers your question perfectly, but don't forget that you can use Applications->Utilities->DigitalColor Meter to grab values from anywhere on the screen.

I've been doing that as well when I have lots of colors to match. Also a bother.

With the eye dropper click within your current document (as if you were to select a color in it) and while keeping the mouse button down, move out of the document and you should be able to pick up the color from anywhere on the screen.

Whoopie! barrysfarm, you are now my #1 favorite MacRumors member! Thanks a million. The next time we have a MacRumors contest, I'll make sure you mysteriously win, whether or not you actually enter the contest!

 

[Fearless Leader]

Whoopie! barrysfarm, you are now my #1 favorite MacRumors member! Thanks a million. The next time we have a MacRumors contest, I'll make sure you mysteriously win, whether or not you actually enter the contest!

somebody is happy...

thxs for that tip.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Whoopie! barrysfarm, you are now my #1 favorite MacRumors member! Thanks a million. The next time we have a MacRumors contest, I'll make sure you mysteriously win, whether or not you actually enter the contest!

i'm not?


i thought I was the like coolest person here.. hmm..

but on topic, i was wondering how to use this also, thanks!

 

[Nermal]

i'm not?

This is Q we're talking about, he'll be able to come up with mathematical proofs that show how he can have several "#1 favorite MacRumors members"

 

[Doctor Q]

Nermal, you are my number 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 + ... favorite MacRumors member.

 

[Nermal]

Awww

 

[maximile]

Actually you can.

With the eye dropper click within your current document (as if you were to select a color in it) and while keeping the mouse button down, move out of the document and you should be able to pick up the color from anywhere on the screen.

That is one of the most useful things I've ever heard. It's this sort of thing that can make using Photoshop just a little bit nicer.

 

[JDar]

Just to be slightly annoying as well as minimally informative, Elements does the same thing.

 

[Kernow]

This is indeed very useful, but I wonder if it is deliberate or just a happy accident. The implementation seems slightly clumsy - if you're zoomed in on an image, then it scrolls right to the edge before you can pick a colour from outside it. If it was intentional, I would have thought they would used a modifier key.