Copy vs Copy Merged in Photoshop

Though the command named Copy is one of the most commonly used commands in Photoshop, while the command named Copy Merged is one of most rarely used commands in Photoshop, but all the same, both commands have their own significance which is not supposed to be over looked by any Photoshop user. In this post I will explain the significance of both commands separately and further, I will explain how these commands are different from each other.

 Very commonly and very rarely used commands

Copy and Copy Merged are two separate commands which can be seen in the Edit Menu of Photoshop.

Edit Menu of Photoshop contains various commands

As far as the command named Copy is concerned, it is found in almost all software programs with the same functionality. This command is used to save the copy of selected content in the part of computer’s memory that is referred as Clipboard, and afterward, you can have that saved copy of the selected content anywhere using the command named Paste.

Unlike Copy, Copy Merged is neither found nor used while working with any software program other than Photoshop. As all Photoshop users know perfectly well that in Photoshop we work on layers so difference between Copy and Copy Merged in  Photoshop is that Copy command is used to copy all the  pixels given on the currently selected layer inside the selected area , while through the command named Copy Merged, you can copy all  visible pixels inside the selected area in the form of a complete image regardless the number of layers fell inside that area.

For instance in the image given below you can see a canvas containing a picture that is composed of two different layers, layer 1 and Background.

Image with both layers visible

 If I hide the Background layer by making invisible the small eye shaped icon beside the thumbnail that is representing  the Background layer in the layer palette, you will notice that on  layer 1 we have nothing but an image of a car.

Note: Small eye shaped icon beside each layer thumbnail in the layer palette can be made invisible just by clicking on it and by making invisible that icon, you can hide the layer beside it on the canvas.

Invisible eye shaped icon beside any thumbnail in the layer palette represents the the invisibility of that layer on the canvas

On the other hand, if I hide the layer 1 by making invisible the small eye shaped icon beside the thumbnail that is representing layer 1 in the layer palette, you will notice that on the Background layer we have everything but not the car.

Layer 1 has been hidden in the image

Through the command named Copy, you can copy  either the image of car that we have on layer 1 or you can copy the picture (or any part of that picture) that we have on the Background layer. But you cannot copy the car and the background at the same time as an integrated image.  Meaning, if you select layer 1 by clicking the thumbnail representing that layer in the layer palette and then you make selection of the entire canvas by hitting CTRL + A on the keyboard  and having made the selection,  if you apply the command named Copy on the selected area either by getting inside the Edit Menu and selecting the option name Copy or by hitting CTRL + C on the keyboard, only the pixels on the currently selected layer (layer 1) will be copied. If you paste those copied pixels anywhere by hitting CTRL + V on the keyboard, you will find nothing in the pasted content but the image of car.

But in case, if you make selection of the entire canvas by hitting CTRL + A or if you make the selection of any part of the canvas using any selection tool e.g. Rectangular Marquee Tool, Elliptical Marquee Tool etc and after making selection, if you apply the command named Copy Merged on the selected area  either by getting inside the Edit Menu and clicking on the option named Copy Merged or by hitting CTRL + Shift + C on the keyboard, everything visible inside the selected area (including car and background) will be copied. If you  paste that copied content anywhere, you will find that the pasted content will be in the form of an integrated image containing the components of both layers.

Note: In the case of Copy Merged it literally doesn't matter that which thumbnail is selected in the layer palette while in the case of Copy, it matters much.