To open the browser, first start Photoshop CS, and then choose File -> Browse from the menu bar. You can also toggle the file browser open and closed by using the File Browser button (looks like a folder with a magnifying glass) located at the right of the options bar.

 

 

On the left side of the browser window, you will see three palette groups. The first palette, labelled Folders, provides a navigation window that allows you to expand and collapse the folders and drives on your system to view their contents. If you click the expand (+) symbol next to a folder or drive, the folder or drive will expand to display its subfolders. If you click on the collapse (-) symbol, the subfolders will be collapsed back into their parent folder.

 

 If you click on an icon in the Folders palette (as apposed to the collapse and expand buttons), the contents of the folder or drive will be displayed in the large viewing pane that comprises the left side of the file browser window. In the image shown above, this viewing area is populated with large thumbnail images.

 

At the top of this large viewing area you will see a drop list box.

 

 

If you click on the down pointing arrow to the right of this box, a menu of drives and folders will be displayed. If you click on an item in this menu, the sub folders associated with that item will be displayed in the large viewing area beneath.

 

If you click on a drive or folder icon in the large viewing area, the subfolders of the drive or folder you click will populate the viewing area. If you click on one of these subfolders, the subfolders belonging to this subfolder will be displayed, and so on.

 

If you let your mouse hover over an icon in the large viewing area, a comment box will appear containing the full path name of the file or folder in question (such as C:\ Program Files\ Adobe\ Photoshop CS\ Samples). As you can see, there are multiple navigation tools available to find your files and folders.

 

When you install Photoshop CS, a folder of sample images should be placed in your system. If you cannot see the Photoshop CS sample images in the large viewing area, use the navigation tools just discussed to browse to the appropriate folder (C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop CS\Samples).

 

Note: These images may have been relocated to another folder for instructional purposes. If you cannot find these images, ask your instructor.

 

 

 

If you select one of the thumbnail images in the large viewing area (by clicking on it), it will be displayed in the Preview palette at the left of the browser window. In the Metadata palette just beneath the preview palette, you can scroll through several items of information related to the selected thumbnail. The metadata palette contains information such as the file name, the date the file was created and last modified, the image format, colour mode, resolution, and much more. To open an image file from the browser, simply double click on its thumbnail.

 

In the top left of the browser window, you will see a menu bar with five items.

 

 

File	Create a new folder, open a file, delete a file, initiate a search, and more.
Edit	Rotate an image in the file browser, (the image file itself will not be rotated until you fully open it.) The Edit menu also allows you rotate an image without opening the file by choosing Apply Rotation from the menu options. The edit menu allows you to select all the images available in a given folder, and it provides options for configuring image metadata. You can reconfigure the size of the thumbnail picture area by using your mouse to drag the long vertical line that separates the folders, preview, and metadata palettes from the thumbnail picture area.
Automate	Contains options for working with batch files and for using some of Photoshop’s preset automated features, like photo merge and contact sheet.
Sort	Provides multiple options for sorting your files including but not limited to, name, rank, file-size, resolution, and date created.
View	Gives you choices for selecting what files will be displayed in the large viewing area, and how they will be displayed (you can choose a small medium or large thumbnail size and whether or not you want to make file information visible with the thumbnails).

 

To the right of the browser window, you can see a button with a pair of binoculars on it. Clicking this button will display the Photoshop search dialog box shown below.

 

 

Here you can specify a search area like a folder or hard drive, and set up search criteria based on file names, dates, metadata, and more. You can also specify conditional options for your search criteria such as starts with, ends with, contains, and does not contain.

To search all folders contained in the specified search area, simply put a check in the Include All Subfolders box.

 

 

On either side of the search button you will find buttons to flag files, and to delete files. To the left of the Flag button, you can find two curving arrow buttons that will rotate the selected image in the browser 90 degrees in the direction indicated by the arrow. To use any of these buttons, simply select the thumbnail of the image you want, and then click the button of your choice to implement the given action. Remember, if you let your mouse pointer hover over a button, a small comment box with a brief description of the button will appear.

 

To close the Photoshop file browser, click the close (X) button in the upper right of the browser window, select File -> Close File Browser from the menu bar, or use the Ctrl + W keyboard shortcut.