The Ultimate Collection Of Useful Photoshop Actions
Saving repetitive tasks as Photoshop actions can save you a lot of time, allowing you to automate your work and improve workflow efficiency. A Photoshop action is a recording of a sequence of commands and operations that you can save and access later on.
We’ve searched for the best downloadable Photoshop actions that can help you improve your workflow and perform complex techniques with the push of a button. In this collection, you’ll find more than 350 free hand-picked Photoshop actions that you can use to speed up your graphics creation.
Note: It’s important to check the license of each action set you download and use.
Quick Introduction to Photoshop Actions
For those unfamiliar with Photoshop actions, they’re simply pre-recorded tasks that you can save and reuse anytime. Photoshop actions commonly have an .atn file extension. Installing a Photoshop action for more recent versions of Photoshop is easy: simply drag the .atn file onto the Actions palette or place it directly inside your Adobe Photoshop\Presets\Photoshop Actions folder. For a more comprehensive discussion of Photoshop actions, check out this complete guide to Photoshop actions.
Image Effects and Graphic Creation Actions
Cross-processing ATN
Simulate the Cross-processing (Xpro) photography technique using this Photoshop action.
1 action – Download
Lomo
Give your images a “Lomo” look and feel with this excellent Photoshop action.
1 action – Download
Lomo Cross-processing
This Photoshop action is a combination of two popular photography effects: Lomo and Cross-processing.
1 action – Download
Polaroid Generator
Automatically frame an image in a Polaroid border with this set of Photoshop actions.
5 actions - Download
Hand-Colored Vintage Photo
This is a handy Photoshop action set for giving images aged, dirty effects.
4 actions – Download
Vintage
Aly’s Vintage action set is a nice collection of six vintage image effects that you can use on modern digital photos.
6 Actions – Download
Vintage Wash
Give your images an old, vintage effect with this set of ten different actions.
10 actions – Download
Old Parchment
Easily create aged paper with this free Photoshop action.
1 action – Download
Simple Stamp Generator
Automatically create a stamp graphic with this action.
1 action – Download
Pseudo HDR
Mimic the “HDR” photo effect without having to use multiple exposures of the subject.
1 action – Download
HDR For Dummies
Here’s another easy-to-use Photoshop action set for giving photos the “HDR” effect.
3 actions – Download
IR Actions
Give your photos the popular infrared effect using Dave’s IR Photoshop action.
1 action – Download
IR Effect
Here is another method for faking the infrared photographic effect using a Photoshop action.
1 action – Download
Photo Effect Action
This Photoshop action can be used for grunge designs.
1 action - Download
Comics Photoshop Action
Give your image a comic book look and feel using this Photoshop action.
1 action - Download
Retro Love
Achieve a retro-colored image effect using the Retro Love action.
1 action – Download
Soften Skin Effect
Smoothen skin and remove blemishes with the Soften Skin Effect action.
1 action – Download
Burnt Edges Vignette
This action gives your photos burnt and high-key effects (available for low- and high-resolution images, see the “Try Me”-section).
4 actions – Download site, check the “Try Me”-section
Edge Effects
This set of actions allows you to give your images different types of edge effects.
8 actions – Download
B & Big Picture
Create a three-dimensional collage effect using one source image with the B & Big Picture action.
4 actions – Download
Photo Enhancement and Processing Actions
Black and White Photoshop Actions
This is a set of useful actions for processing black and white images.
8 actions – Download
TLR B&W Toning
TLR B&W Toning is a large action set for enhancing and processing black and white images.
30 actions – Download
Photoshop Postwork Actions
Here is a ton of excellent post-work Photoshop actions.
25 actions – Download
TLR Sharpening Toolkit
This is a useful Photoshop action pack for sharpening RGB, CMYK and monochrome photos.
33 actions – Download
TLR Tone Enhance
Enhance the tone and color of your images using this Photoshop action set.
30 actions – Download
Color Enhancing Actions
Here is a variety of actions, such as “colorboost,” “softlight,” and “contrastboost.”
10 actions – Download
Photoshop Color Actions
A nice collection of color actions to process and enhance your photographs.
10 actions – Download
Cross Coloring Tools
Here is a set of actions for dark, mid-range, and light cross-coloring of image tone.
4 actions – Download
Image Enhancing PS Actions
These are ten brilliant image-enhancing Photoshop actions.
10 actions – Download
Watermark Photoshop Action
Automate the watermarking of your images with this set of Photoshop actions.
9 actions – Download
Photographers Toolkit
A wonderful set of actions for photographers to enhance photos.
9 actions – Download
Assorted Sets of Actions
Photoshop Actions – 53
This is the 53rd set of Photoshop actions by =night-fate of deviantART.
9 actions – Download
Productions Action
This is a set of useful actions that will simplify your workflow for common Photoshop tasks.
20 actions - Download
Photoshop Automator Actions
This is one of the biggest sets of useful actions to cut down on repetitive tasks such as watermarking images, scaling images, and fitting images in the canvas. You need to register before being able to download the set.
90 actions – Download
Photography Action Set
This is an excellent collection of popular photo effects, such as HDR, Lomo, Velvia, Xpro and more.
8 actions – Download
Rather Large Set of Actions
This is a large collection of useful Photoshop actions.
40 actions – Download
Photoshop Actions – 62
Another beautiful set of assorted Photoshop actions by =night-fate.
8 actions – Download
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Brett Widmann
October 29th, 2010 2:08 pmGreat set of resources. Thanks for sharing.
konsum
December 13th, 2010 9:29 amcollection of the same deviantart actions for the 50th time. since 3 years there isn´t anymore a big change in the top-list of deviantart. that lead us directly to the fact, that if you just copy and paste the most popular actions, you might look like all the 49 blogs did before you.
even generating traffic with other people afford is pretty something. but giving the possibillity to a direct download, instead of just a link to the artists page is in fact uncrediting artists.
my advise: just try to create something by yourself instead of generating traffic with something you haven´t done.
btw: you not even help or support the artists with this blog, cause the top list of deviantart have got enough pageviews anyways.
FAKE
Melissa
December 24th, 2010 10:43 pmTo many with error messages to be able to download. Thanks anyway.
Karla.ctshw
December 30th, 2010 11:22 am<3 <3 <3 . ha, awessoomeee!
jenny
January 10th, 2011 10:04 pmThese are so awesome!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fort3design
January 13th, 2011 10:58 amYeah, a lot of these are pretty great.
One think people need to realize, however is they are not auto-amazing-picture actions. Yes, the creative color can add a lot of interest to your image. However, a lot of these actions induce haloing, chromatic/luminosity noise, and loss of detail in your picture. These actions are best used in conjuction with elements of the original image. Careful masking and layer blending will help you make the most out of these actions.
Also, try combining actions. ie If you really like the way the yellows come out in one version, blend those into a purple version you made with a different action.
Taylor
February 6th, 2011 11:33 pmAlthough this is a year 2008 post, but it’s still the best collection of these photo filters. Love everything posted here!
ccn
February 8th, 2011 10:40 pmgreat set…
elayaraja
February 12th, 2011 11:26 ami hope to enjoy
Pavan Kunala
February 18th, 2011 10:32 amThank you so much for the wonderful stuff!!
earl olarte
February 23rd, 2011 10:14 pmi need more photoshop action.
earl olarte
February 23rd, 2011 10:16 pmThank you so much for the action.
i need more photoshop action,
Vitor Santos
April 19th, 2011 5:02 amEven though this post was written in 2008, will be very helpful to me, here in Brazil. Thanks!
Stefan
May 4th, 2011 1:43 pmI think that photoshop is the best editing image tool of the year
Thank You for this actions.
Srivatsa
May 18th, 2011 8:12 pmCant wait to try all these :))
Looks exciting
Dan
June 23rd, 2011 5:56 pmGreat list! I just made an action that mimics film on my site… check it out if you like vintage/old looking photos!
http://www.grapherphoto.com/?p=567
Lorie
June 28th, 2011 5:49 pmAwesome Collections and so easy to use…. Thanks!!
nokel
July 3rd, 2011 6:42 pmhalf of these don’t work anymore… but thanks for the ones that do ^^
noiseandpixel
July 15th, 2011 2:09 amTHis very useful for all task and can make polaroid effect for my ban b.bad . but if we could find an instagram software on-line it be really more faster … i see on in the lab of twittepic but nothing happened .. if some new out your welcom to share info !!
Steven
July 20th, 2011 2:17 pmThis is an awesome list of photoshop actions! I’ve recently seen some great photoshop actions for photographers at: wbactions.com
John
July 22nd, 2011 10:06 amHi there, thanks for sharing a would like to add to the list a website with lots of free and premium presets:
http://www.adobelightroompresets.net/
Hope can help
Alan de Paula
July 23rd, 2011 10:48 amThank you for providing these actions signal that puts are great!
thanks!
SEO
August 24th, 2011 7:40 pmthanks for ceollections, now I can tweaks my pics for whatever I want!
DJ Blur
September 17th, 2011 1:28 amuh why are all the links dead :[
abhishek
September 17th, 2011 1:36 amVery useful .. thanks for collection
RaYZoR
September 22nd, 2011 12:39 amBeen looking for a site with the Vintage looking purple/pink flushed out look…and finally found it!!
Thank you for putting this post together!!
except now..how do I install the .atn files?
DEC
September 23rd, 2011 9:57 pmMost of the links go no where but a few do and for those I thank you. I am new to photoshop but I can tell you deviantart will never get my business, not because they are wrong but I got tired of seeing their little avatar telling me to get lost, then clicking back and waiting for the page to load. Someone needs to clean this mess up.
kerstin
October 11th, 2011 2:58 amYou need to check your links. A lot of them don’t work any more. Thanks for the other links :)
Ahmed Tope
October 30th, 2011 10:40 amThanks to the world of new technology, thanks to Adobe PhotoShop which has made anything about pictures so easy. I want to be updated on photoshop picture or photo effect . Please I want latest updates to be sent to the above stated email address. Thanks.
Simão
November 17th, 2011 3:01 amHey guys, do you know how I can create an action where I turn layers on and on in a succession, saving images of every step of the way? Thanks!
Nina
November 17th, 2011 12:48 pmAwesome! Thanks!
Simon
December 11th, 2011 4:00 pmGuilty self promotion…
Product Photography oriented Actions at psdcovers.com
Samantha
December 13th, 2011 2:06 pmLots of broken links in this article. Mostly the ones I really wanted, too! :(
Jane
February 5th, 2012 6:10 amDo these work in photoshop elements 10? they are fantastic! thanx for sharing!
bob
March 17th, 2012 12:27 pmI still don’t understand how I can record my own set of actions for future use. I am making up several photobooks which will contain as many as 1000 images in total. I therefore need to
image/image size/resolution 200/width 1000,save as
Lots of times
Stacie Jensen
March 13th, 2013 5:24 pmGreat list! Its always nice to see different takes on different styles. Editing can be a very artful thing to many photographers who use it to explain how they were feeling during a shoot. colorvaleactions.com
Ashay
April 13th, 2013 5:43 pmThanks for sharing.