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I'm using "Distribute Horizontal Centers" in Photoshop, but it might be the wrong tool for the job. I'm guessing Photoshop will be distributing the CENTER of each text object and aligning that, so long links won't have as much 'spacing' either side.

Is there a way for me to distribute a group of objects evenly taking into account their overall size, rather than by their center points?

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    Are you trying to get an equal amount of space between each object?
    – JohnB
    Feb 22, 2013 at 15:48
  • @John - Yes, that's what I was trying to ask. Is there an easier way to do this than to manually move each object x pixels from the edge of another? Very slow going if I have 10 items in a navigation and want to increase the spacing for each by 5px.
    – Anonymous
    Feb 22, 2013 at 16:48
  • I had the same problem, so I asked and the answer was: Use a script and assign a shortcut to it. It works, made my life so much easier
    – user8795
    Feb 22, 2013 at 21:03

9 Answers 9

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This cannot be done without a script such as the ones provided by Trevor Morris here.[1]

"Distribute Layer Spacing" are the ones to look for on that page.

1. is there an easy way or photoshop plugin to distribute words in evenly spaced formation

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If you have the Creative Suite you can do this in Illustrator and then bring the objects back into Photoshop. In Photoshop, duplicate the objects to a new file, save, and open the file containing the objects in Illustrator. Click on the black arrow selection tool on the tools menu. Go to Window --> Align to bring up the ALIGN dialog box. Hold SHIFT and click on each object to select them all at the same time. In the ALIGN box, under "Distribute Spacing", click the little black arrow under the text, "Align To:". Select "Align to Key Object". One of the objects will be highlighted with a red outline around it. You can use that one or click on another object to make that your key object. In the ALIGN dialog box there is a box that lets you enter the number of pixels you would like your items separated by. Type in a number (eg. 20 px) and then click the "Horizontal Distribute Spacing" button to the left of that box. This will evenly distribute the objects a specified distance away from each other.

You will then need to use the layers palette to drag each object into its own layer. Otherwise when you bring the file back into Photoshop, all the objects will be one on layer. So just click "create new layer" on the layers window to make new layers for each of your objects, and drag each object into a new layer in the layers palette.

When you're finisihed, go under File --> Export to save the file as a Photoshop document. Then open it in Photoshop, group the layers, and duplicate them into your current document.

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  • I was looking for this without the Photoshop part (how to do it on Illustartor only). Worked perfectly for me. Thanks a lot!
    – agentofuser
    Sep 19, 2014 at 14:29
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I just create a box and use that. Its dirty but effective. More clarification, I create a box as in a shape i can move, and create guides on. And delete when done.

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  • I do this too but this is really annoying.
    – atilkan
    Apr 10, 2017 at 11:41
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No Script Solution - 2021

Suppose you have 5 objects (one on each layer) and you wish to have an even spacing between them in a row.

First move them such that they are not overlapping each other at all.

Second, move the furthest left object where you want the group to start spacing, and move the furthest right object where you want the group to end spacing.

Now select all 5 layers and press 'v' to get the move tool.

Now, go to Layer > Distribute Spacing > Horizontal.

Lastly if you need to you can group the 5 layers and center the whole group along the vertical central axis

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  • Wow, so easy, this should definitely be the accepted answer now!
    – Bloke
    Mar 16, 2022 at 18:28
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You should select the elements in the layer palette. Then using V - move tool and the following options will appear: enter image description here

then you can try all the positioning you think will suit the case.

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  • I don't think any of those manages to distribute elements the way it's being asked. One will center of all them in the same line, the other will center them but their middle points.
    – Yisela
    Feb 22, 2013 at 22:07
  • how about using them in combo? I believe that these are the tools and I have used them many times. but maybe I don't get the idea right.
    – Damyan
    Feb 25, 2013 at 16:23
  • Do you think you can remember the combination for this case?
    – Yisela
    Feb 25, 2013 at 19:21
  • my bad (AI confusion) but still maybe this will be of help: feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/…
    – Damyan
    Feb 25, 2013 at 20:49
  • That looks promising. If you see the answer there, you can edit yours with its information (the downvote will be removed and you will get positive votes if you do).
    – Yisela
    Feb 25, 2013 at 21:19
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Hi im not sure if you guys have thought about this, if you have then sorry, but in illustrator there is an "align by selection" option. So when you select all of the objects you want to evenly distribute they will only distribute between the two end obljects, like book ends. If you space these two objects at the corr

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    Welcome to GD.SE! The original poster was talking about Photoshop, not Illustrator...do you have any evidence that your solution will work in PS? Also, you answer seems to be cut off; feel free to complete it by editing your post.
    – Brendan
    Mar 11, 2013 at 13:09
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THere is a photoshop extension called "Space Equal", its free and spaces them auto automatically between the outer items. Cant find the link no more though :)

EDIT i found it again, here is a link

this thing is super useful, totally dont understand while other Adibe software does have it. Feels like different Adobe software still is complete different companies under one umbrella ;)

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photoshop can't set space margin between layers that selected, but you can use some plugins and extentions for adobe photoshop to do this for you(make a custome margin between layers), such as uber-spacer. answers about alignments exists above

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    Please expand this answer. Link only answers are discouraged since links can change. You can edit your answer to include information such as the names of specific extensions that can solve this problem.
    – Scribblemacher
    Sep 14, 2016 at 13:05
  • I've just said that photoshop can't do this... make an space margin between two or more layers
    – Es Jey
    Sep 16, 2016 at 11:58
  • @Scribblemacher : uber spacer , that's the photoshop extension name that I said, with this extension you can enter an amount in pixel, select your layers and apply distance that entered between layers.
    – Es Jey
    Sep 19, 2016 at 11:20
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    View my other comment above, space equal is FREE and does it automatically between outer items
    – Rombout Versluijs
    Dec 21, 2017 at 17:52
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Select your layers on the layer palette

enter image description here

And then do what you need to do up top (align and distribute)

enter image description here

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    Just a note... aligning is not the same as distributing.
    – Scott
    Aug 19, 2015 at 19:02

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