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
About the Author
Jacob Gube is a Web developer/designer and author of Six Revisions, a blog on Web
development and design. If you want to connect with the author, you
can follow him on Twitter.
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