How to Deselect in Photoshop Shortcut

Working with selection tools in Adobe Photoshop often requires clearing active marquee boundaries, commonly referred to as "marching ants," once an edit or mask is complete. This guide outlines the exact keyboard shortcuts used to deselect active boundaries on both Windows and macOS, explains how to reselect if you make a mistake, and covers standard menu alternatives.

The Keyboard Shortcut to Deselect

The fastest way to remove active marquee boundaries in Adobe Photoshop is via the universal deselect shortcut:

• Windows: Press Ctrl + D
• macOS: Press Command + D

Pressing this key combination immediately cancels the active selection across all standard layers, removing the animated dotted lines and restoring standard editing capabilities to the entire canvas.

Alternative Ways to Deselect

If you prefer using your mouse or need an alternative method, Photoshop provides two additional ways to deselect:

1. Using the Top Menu: Click Select from the menu bar at the top of the workspace, then click Deselect.
2. Clicking the Canvas: Select any basic selection tool (such as the Rectangular Marquee Tool or Lasso Tool) from the toolbar, and simply left-click anywhere on an unselected area of the canvas.

How to Reselect

If you accidentally deselect an active boundary and need it back, Photoshop allows you to restore the previous selection instantly without using the Undo history:

• Windows: Press Ctrl + Shift + D
• macOS: Press Command + Shift + D
• Menu Path: Click Select > Reselect