Replace Smart Object layers

Last updated on Oct 26, 2021 | Also applies to Creative Cloud for enterprise

Replace the Smart Objects layers on a Photoshop (PSD) file with other PSD, JPEG, PNG, SVG files.

What is the Replace Smart Object layers task

Smart Objects are layers that contain image data from raster or vector images, such as Photoshop or Illustrator files. Smart Objects preserve an image's source content with all its original characteristics, enabling you to perform nondestructive editing to the layer.

In Photoshop, you can embed the contents of an image into a Photoshop document using embedded Smart Objects. In Photoshop, you can also create Linked Smart Objects whose contents are referenced from external image files. Using the Replace Smart Object task, you can easily change out selected Smart Object layers with other files that you upload. Fee how to Work with Smart Objects in Photoshop.

Learn to:

Run task
Save task

Run the Replace Smart Object task

So, let's get started with using Replace Smart Object.

In the Quick tasks screen, click Replace Smart Object.
Click Start and then Select.

Select a templated PSD file with embedded smart object layers to replace.

Note:

A PSD file may contain multiple artboards.

You'll see the following error, if we didn't find any Smart Object layers in the PSD that you uploaded.

A PSD file containing one or more Smart Object layers, the artboards, groups, and layers are displayed in the same order and hierarchy as they are in the file.

All non Smart Object layers are also displayed. However, these are disabled and hence not selectable.
Click Next.

The smart object layers display on the right.
Select the smart object layers that you want to replace.
Click Add files to add replacement files of these file formats:

PSD

JPEG

PNG

SVG
Click Next.
(Optional) Preview the PSD variants before running the task.
Once you're done, click Run task.
As soon as the task is complete, you'll receive a notification, by email.

To start a new task, click Return home.

To view the output of this task in Your Work, click View files.

Save the Replace Smart object layer task

Save tasks that you'll perform repeatedly. For example, you have an advertising campaign and you want to create different artworks based on a similar design.

The first time you run the task, save it. We'll save all the configurations you've made. From then on, all you need to do is run the saved task and change the files to upload. All saved tasks are displayed in the Aspen home screen. So, when you're at the home screen, you can either choose to start a new task or re-use a task you've saved before.

As you proceed through the steps to run the task, you'll see a Save task button in the upper-right corner of your workspace.

Click at any point during the workflow.
Enter a name and, optionally, a description.

As you progress to subsequent steps in the workflow, we'll save any other configuration changes you make to the task.

As you progress to subsequent steps in the workflow, we'll save any other configuration changes you make to the task.
The next time you open a task you previously saved, you'll be prompted to choose if you want to use the previous set of assets or discard those are use a new set.

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