Rectangular and square selections

The Rectangular Marquee tool is used to make rectangular and square selections.

Select the Rectangular Marquee tool in the Tools panel. Click and drag to make a rectangular selection.

If you want a square selection, press the Shift key as you’re dragging.

Oval and circular selections

The Elliptical Marquee tool is for making oval and circular selections.

Select the Elliptical Marquee tool in the Tools panel. Click and drag to start a selection. With your finger still down on the mouse/trackpad, press the Space bar on the keyboard too; then push the selection back to the edge of the object you want to select. With your finger still down on the mouse/trackpad, release your finger from the Space bar only, and continue to drag out an oval selection.

If you want a circular selection, press the Shift key too, as you’re dragging. Release your finger from the mouse/trackpad and then from the Shift key.

Tip: After you make a selection, you can re-position it by clicking inside the marching ants with a selection tool and dragging. You also can re-shape the selection by choosing Select > Transform Selection and dragging any of the edges or corners of the boundary.

Free-form selections

The Lasso tool is for making free-form selections.

Select the Lasso tool in the Tools panel. Click and drag to make a free-form selection. When you’re back near the beginning, release your finger from the mouse/trackpad to close the selection.

Straight-edged selections

The Polygonal Lasso tool is used to make straight-edged segments of a selection. It comes in handy to select a star, a triangle, or other objects with a straight edge.

Select the Polygonal Lasso tool in the Tools panel. Click at the beginning of a straight edge, and then release your finger from the mouse. Without pressing down on the mouse/trackpad, move to the end of that straight edge and click to attach the selection. Repeat around the area you want to select. When you’re back at the beginning and a small circle appears, click to close the selection.

Tip: To release the Polygonal Lasso tool, press the Escape key.