How to use layer masks with AI edits

1. Put the images on separate layers

Put the edited picture on a layer above the original. Layers are separate pictures stacked on top of each other. Give them clear names.

Check that the two pictures have the same size and position. If the AI changed the shape too much, their edges may not line up.

2. Add a mask to the edited layer

Click the edited layer in the Layers panel. Add a layer mask. If an area is already selected, Photoshop can use it to make the mask.

Click the mask’s small picture beside the layer’s small picture. This selects the mask. Painting on the image instead would change its pixels.

Read more: Add a layer mask in Photoshop

3. Hide the parts you do not want

Paint black on the mask to hide the edit and show the original below. Paint white to show the edit again. Gray shows part of each.

Work in small steps near the edge. A shadow may need a soft brush. A sharp product edge may need a harder brush.

Read more: Edit and refine layer masks

4. Check for a visible seam

Switch the edited layer off and on. Look for double edges, wrong colors and uneven texture. A mask hides parts; it does not fix their light or shape.

For example, you can hide a generated label to show the real one below. But if the bottle changed shape, the two labels may not line up.

5. Save the editable version

Keep the layers and masks in your working file. Save a separate copy to share. Do not flatten your only copy: flattening joins the layers into one picture.

Save a copy before making large mask changes. Clear layer names and a saved original make it easier to find your way back.