100 Free Photoshop Actions (And How to Make Your Own)
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Photoshop actions can be extremely useful timesavers when you find yourself performing the same steps over and over on an image. They’re also an excellent way for photographers to quickly and easily pass on their favorite techniques to others. Today we’ll be looking at how you can make your own, and showcasing 100 fantastic free Photoshop actions to use straight away!
In recent years, DeviantArt has become a huge storehouse for photographers to upload and share Photoshop actions. We sorted through thousands and thousands of these to bring you 100 of our favorite sets, some containing as many as forty or fifty actions in a single download.
For beginners, we’ll start off with a brief explanation of how to create and install Photoshop actions and then move onto our huge list of actions that are free for you to download and use.
We have also published a fantastic article explaining how to make your own Lightroom Presets, with 100 amazing examples. You can read the article here!
Creating Photoshop Actions
Recording an action in Photoshop is incredibly simple. Simply open up the “Actions” palette and hit the new action button seen in the image below.
This should pop open a new window containing various options for the action. Here you can name the action and place it in a set. You can also assign a keyboard shortcut that will activate the action immediately in Photoshop. This is quite handy for those actions you find yourself using on a daily basis.
Once you hit “Record” in the window above, all that’s left is to carry out the steps you’d like to be recorded in the action. Keep in mind that selection sizes, saving and other very specific steps will be replicated exactly in the action. Try to keep your steps generic enough that they’ll work on the full range of images you’ll need the action to apply to.
When you’ve finished carrying out all the desired steps, hit the “Stop” button in the action menu. Then hit the “Play” button to perform the action on another file.
Installing Photoshop Actions
There are multiple ways to install Photoshop actions. For starters, you can drag the downloaded actions into the “Actions” folder contained within the “Presets” folder in your Photoshop application folder. Note that actions placed here may require a Photoshop restart to appear in the actions menu.
Alternatively, you can hit the little arrow on the right of the actions menu and click on the “Load Actions” option. This allows you to navigate to any actions on your computer and load them instantly into Photoshop.
Now that you can install Photoshop actions and even create your own, download a few of the free options below and start making your images look amazing with a single click!
100 Free Photoshop Actions
Polaroid GENERATOR V1
Cross-Processing ATN
Stick it action
Vintage Action
set 28
Portrait Action
PS Action 12
+ Action 11
Action 01
RedLipsAction
Peace and Love Action
sa-cool actions 2.06
Vintage Effect – Ps Actions
50 Photoshop Postwork Actions
image enhancing ps actions
Old Photo Action
photoshop actions – 33
photoshop actions – 48
Photoshop Action Set o1
photoshop actions – 67
Vintage Photo
Photoshop Dream Blur Action
Photoshop Action: Diabolic
Wedding Theme Action
Black and White ps actions
Lith Print Action
HDR Fantasticalizers
Black And White
HolgaRoid Generator BW
My first actions set
Cool photo effect action
Comics Photoshop action
Pack Actions 01
Powerful Colors 3.2
Clouds Effects 3.5
Photoshop Action 2
Photo Coloring II
Gum Bichromate Print
Black white sepia PS action
Vintage dream ps actions
photoshop actions – 11
rather large set of actions
Photoshop Action 15
Photoshop Action – Color 024
Photoshop Action 9 Pack
30 photoshop actions
Split toning
Photographers Toolkit 3
clarity – photoshop action
Skin Glow Enhancement
Photoshop Action: Regressive N
retro
3D.Action
Lovely Action
Photoshop Action 05
ACTION 3D
Action Pack 1
photoshop actions – 46
Pinkish Action
Photoshop Action – Bright Eyes
1
NAME
Retro Vintage Actions
Pencil Draw Photoshop Action
PS Action 14
InFection
HDR Fake Action
Variety Pack Actions .3
Sedrah Photoshop Action No2
Vivid Blur
Sepia actions
colors Actions
Vintage Action Pack
PS Action 3
Drawing Effect Adobe Action
Vintage Film Effect
landscape and sky action
Photo Coloring VII
NoiseLess Black And White
Photoshop Action 23
Vectorize me babe ATN
Action .7
IR effect look
Watermark Photoshop Action
Action Pack 4
Photoshop Action 3
Copyright Action
300 action
photoshop action no.7 HIGH KEY
PS Action Set 02
Old Black and White
Colorfull action
Action : I — Old Photo.
Color Action
Dreamy Light Action
draindrops
hard light action PS
Action 2
Action 03
action 2
Share Your Actions!
The actions above range in quality from fun and homegrown to serious and professional. Think you can do better? We’d love to see any Photoshop actions that you’ve created and made available for download. Just leave a link below along with a brief explanation of what the action does.
Also be sure to tell us which of the action sets above were your favorites. There are a ton to choose from and it would be great to hear your thoughts on which work the best for your needs!
100 Free Lightroom Presets
We have also published a fantastic article explaining how to make your own Lightroom Presets, with 100 amazing examples. You can read the article here!
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kinda takes the being creative side out of everything if u ask me
Maybe………… but if a client wants a style for 30-50 images an action is going to save you lots of time.
For the odd photo doing it yourself can often be the best way.
Ah I almost forgot to thank you for this roundup. There will be afew I will use Im sure of it.
Negative comments like yours kinda take the fun out of life if u ask me.
Great roundup of actions, thanks for taking the time to collate them all, this is very inspirational!
Creating an action in itself is being creative and is economic for reproducing a certain look even if it just to remember the process you followed
Thanks for the tutorial!
Thank you for this article! I LOVE actions!!! ^^
What a helpful group of actions! Thank you!
I like
In a lot of cases, the afters looked worse than the befores. To be honest, I would be embarrassed using these actions/effects on my photos.
The link for “Drawing Effect Adobe Action” is broken. Would love to learn how that was done…
Yes I would love to learn how to do that effect. Please fix the broken link. As at today it is still broken
Thank you for the other wonderful actions.
I’d love to see the Drawing effect Adobe Action, if it gets fixed.
I went through Google Image search with the picture used and came to this:
http://refont.com/photoshop-action/show.php?id=ZHJhd2luZ19lZmZlY3RfYWRvYmVfYWN0aW9uX2J5X3RlY2hub2ZpYnJl&img=images/drawing_effect_adobe_action_by_technofibre.jpg&PHPSESSID=2d1aee9c0275d82e2451105807076c33
It is quite the shady site if you ask me, but they host the action.
It is a very clever action indeed, definitely worth the look!
Great list really useful thanks – can’t personally pick a favourite, they’re all awesome.
Also check out these actions too – photoshop actions – pretty sweet for product stuff! There’s a few available on the blog for free.
So, you basically cherry-picked the “most popular” category off of DeviantArt? I love actions as much as the next guy, and I love DeviantArt too, but at least do a little searching for what YOU feel are the best, across the whole web, and showcase them for us to see. Don’t just regurgitate a section on someone else’s website.
Sorry, I don’t mean to be critical, but I could have just gone here and called it a day:
http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/psactions/?order=9
There are no deviations in this category.
Great!!
Seriously great pack! Thx for this helpful article.
Really thank you soooooooooooooooooooooooooo much great collecation today i am going to download to seee. but thanks any way we neeed moree
Thank a lot
1 in this action
” Drawing Effect Adobe Action ”
Can’t Download U_U
yep.. the best one i can’t download.. =/
I downloaded this one a while ago from the source site, but it’s not working because it’s in Spanish. Don’t go to the trouble of downloading it.
Hello Nicole,
Have you got it still? I have photoshop in spanish so maybe I can make it work. Can you post it or send it to me please?
I would really like to try this Drawing Effect.
Kind regards,
Luis
Can any/all/some of these be used with Elements 8??
Many thanks
It annoys me to no end when people do this. Why didn’t the author just instruct us to go to deviantart and pick the actions that appeal to us? There are a ton of actions posted that either don’t work, have horribly bad outcomes, no instructions or only work in certain environments (one of them is so poorly made that it actually tries to grab a photo from the users local HDD which only exists on the original machine the action was created on!)
C’mon tuts+, you’re better than this!
I love this action collection.
really helpful and beautiful!
Great action collection! There are so many, it’s difficult to weed through
Thanks a lot!! This is very helpful indeed!!!
I love this articles and thanks soo much!
))
People need to take a chill pill~ Nobodys forcing you to download them. ;p
Big Thankyout for that!
great action collection! thanks for you work
i love it! very very thanks!
thanx for making these available .. i agree with mandy
the first vintage link doesn’t work
i love photoshop actions – 33
just waht i was looking for
Beautiful tutorial! Thank you!
very best and nice
how can i dowload it ?! :O
Great actions, some of these are great on my photography work.
Hello bro,
it was awesome and really helpful, but i do really interesting with HDR Fantasticalizers but it’s gone from deviantart, so would you mind to help me where i can get it?
thanks
Hey here is the HDR actino, http://forfie.deviantart.com/art/HDR-Tools-66904781
wow, great collection of very nice photoshop actions, will also write an article about it
http://forfie.deviantart.com/art/HDR-Tools-66904781
If any one Could find these for me that are above , that would be great.
PS Action 14
PS Action 3
Drawing Effect Adobe Action
Colorfull Action
if you get these you can email me at rs246photo@aim.com
P.S. i am planing on putting one download link here so you don’t go to each individual Link.
Thanks a lot
Thank you for this large set of actions. For sure I will share some of mine with you.
Some great actions here .Doe’s anyone have a action for a jigsaw with more than 20 pieces I have a 20 piece one but am looking for more.
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!
That’s great thanks for sharing
Very Like it & Thx U So Much,,,Its make easy For My Job !
Great actions!
I used a few of these and here are the results:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scherry-shahid/5611061878/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scherry-shahid/5611093018/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scherry-shahid/5610506455/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scherry-shahid/5611077610/in/photostream
This is the first time i have tried vintage actions and i am loving it!
Great list really useful thanks
Very helpfull – thank You!
Lovely job, at least it’ll save a lot of time. Thanks a bunch.
wow…! what a exquisite actions these are!. I think these will be path who are expert.
thanks
Hi all, I am new to Photoshop CS5. I haven’t used any other version. I have been using Corel PrintShop ProPhoto X2. I’ve learned quite a bit, but have been having some problems with some of the actions i am trying. I’m hoping you all would be willing help me.
When an Action tells me to “fill with a paper” I can’t figure out how to do it. I’ve searched help, all the menus and still I haven’t been able to figure it out. I can fill with a pattern or color, but I am lost about filling with a background paper. It tells me to drag it in, but it won’t. Please help!
Thanks for all these free actions. I am learning so very much! Ruthe
How do I download these actions,. I am new to this. any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you to those that make actions! saves so much time, and thank you for SHARING THEM XOX
I am new to “actions” – grateful if some one could direct me in the direction of how to use actions – I have downloaded an action and want to know what should I do next – in terms of transferring the “action” into my image?
Thanks
Great list! I just made an action that mimics film on my site… check it out if you like vintage/old looking photos!
Hi, I am new to PS myself but I have loaded and run an action to create an ebook cover.
With Actions I have used, you open up the Action and there will be say 2 steps.
Select Step 1 and press the Play button at the bottom of the actions.
Do not press anything while an action is playing!
After the action has completed, you load your image. Adjust it, do whatever.
When you are ready, simply select Step 2 and again Play.
Dont touch anything. Just let it do its magic.
When complete you have your finished image…
Enjoy!
tnx alot for sharing these great actions …
Pity so many are no longer available.
But thanks, theres still a few good ones left.
these are great wonderful.. thanks.. these are helpful especially to those who are not good in photoshop like me woot
hi this is very useful for web designers
by
pluskb
Hi, I am new to PS myself but I have loaded and run an action to create an ebook cover.
With Actions I have used, you open up the Action and there will be say 2 steps.
Select Step 1 and press the Play button at the bottom of the actions.
Do not press anything while an action is playing!
After the action has completed, you load your image. Adjust it, do whatever.
When you are ready, simply select Step 2 and again Play.
Dont touch anything. Just let it do its magic.
When complete you have your finished image…
by
pluskb
some are the free downlodedd actions are not instalising and playing in adobe photoshop SC2 version,
how can face this
Yeah, great presentation, but your image very slow to loading in my computer
will this work for elements as well?
A lot of these actions have HORRIBLE outcomes. Yuck!
Thank you !
These are great! I will share them and add some as well when I get mine together!
Holy crap! Thanks a lot!! This will save me a LOT of time!!
Thank you !!! much appreciated!
Thank so Very Gooddddddddddddddddd
& Action Is Verry Nice
Hey Josh,
Really nice post. There are some AMAZING actions here.
And for those who feel like using Photoshop actions is ‘cheating’, it can be a real blessing if you have hundreds of photos you have to turn out for a client. If nothing else, you can use them as a starting point. Personally, I think actions are a great way to infuse the creativity of someone else into your work.
Are these actions compatible with Photoshop CS 8?
I’m so grateful for the actions that each of your creative minds have offered up! I think they are awesome. I am gonna jump right in & see if I can do your awesome creativity some justice! I’ve got my fingers crossed I can figure this out! : ) Again…thanks
mantap gan!
Thank you for providing all of these actions. They really are fantastic.
Thanxxxxxxxxxxxx
they are fantastic Actions
thanx again
make a photoshop of mine
ples buddy….. i dont know how to use this dawnload file……. who can send me a video tutoriel 4 Installing Photoshop Actions files…….. ples if u help me u can use cam tasia screan recorder. ples buddy help me,,,
-Kevin-
Thanks for the colection!
Just starting adeep house blog and this collection of actions is going to SERIOUSLY make my life easier! While making the Blog look better than EVER!
Safe Safe x
nice & good…… thank
Great actions, thanks! Here are some free photoshop cs5 actions I created, on my photography website:
http://risingspiritphoto.com/photoshop-actions
Cool actions. Can’t wait to use them.
I really like these actions and they are very good for time saving and creating a wide range of effects on a collection of photos. Well done.
P.S. When will there be more actions being posted
I really want to try the “Vintage Action” The one at the top of the page. But every time I try to open it it says the link is no longer available. Anyway way we could get that back? So many amazing actions! Thanks
how do I share an action that I have made?
Thanks for sharing..its very usefull
Love every single one of these and love the fact that you have shared them EVEN MORE!!:) Thank you!
These are a great time saver – Thank you !
These are wonderful! Maybe someone already asked this, but are these actions solely for PS, do any of them work for Elements?
Best part about this website is that it gave instructions on creating your own actions.
Muchas gracias por lo que vi voy a disfrutar mucho con estas Action.
I will share this with my co-graphic designer
Wow! The photos was really nice after edit it!!!!!!!!!
Tank you fron biutiful action
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Thank you, this is going to be a big help!
Couldn’t leave the site without saying a big “thank you”. There’s a few of these are going to save me hours… and hours.
Thanks again.
The generosity of the artists is VERYmuch appreciated.
Thanks !!!! f
Its very much informative, Thanks for the post.
thank you!!!