2020-12-18T00:33:40Z

• You can add new brushes to Photoshop by downloading them from the internet to your computer and then using the "Import Brushes" menu.
• When you download a new Photoshop brush, make sure to remember where you save the .ABR file — you'll need it to add the brush.
• You can find the "Import Brushes" option in Photoshop's "Brushes" panel.

Photoshop comes with a wide selection of brushes you can use right away, but you can also purchase new brushes or download free ones to expand your creative options. 

However, like a lot of Photoshop's key functions, it's not obvious how to add these brushes afterwards — you're left with hundreds of menus and icons to sift through yourself.

Here's how to add new brushes to Photoshop, and start using them right away.

How to add brushes to Photoshop

1. Start by downloading the brushes to your computer. If the brushes came in a .zip file, you'll need to open the .zip and extract the files. The only files you need, though, are the .ABR files — there should be one for each brush. If you need help opening a .zip file, check out our articles on .zip files for both Windows 10 PCs and macOS computers.

2. Be sure to note where you've saved the .ABR file — you'll need to find it again later.

Note where you stored the ABR file. If it came inside a Zip file, extract it to an ordinary folder. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

3. Start Photoshop and open an image or canvas, so you can see the usual Photoshop menus.

4. Click "Window" in the menu bar at the top of the screen and then, in the drop-down menu, click "Brushes." You should see the Brushes panel appear.

5. Click the four horizontal lines at the top-right of the Brushes panel — this is the menu — and click "Import Brushes…"

Use the menu in the Brushes panel to import the new brush. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

6. In the file browser that opens, find the folder where you stored the .ABR file and double-click it.

7. After a moment, the brushes will be installed in Photoshop. They should appear in the Brushes panel under the preset brushes. 

Your newly installed brushes will appear in the Brushes panel, under the preinstalled ones. Dave Johnson/Business Insider

Adobe Photoshop Annual Subscription Check price at Adobe

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• How to unhide photos on an iPhone in a few simple steps using the Photos app

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Dave Johnson Freelance Writer Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider. Read more Read less

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