--- description: Video Transcript: In this video we are gona talk about the “pen tool”. I’ll show you how we can use pen tool for selection. There are numbers of selection tools in photoshop but the title: How to use Pen Tool in Photoshop? Complete Tutorial image: https://www.guru99.com/images/how-to-use-pen-tool-in-photoshop.png --- [Skip to content](#main) **⚡ Smart Summary** Pen Tool in Photoshop is the selection tool that produces the cleanest, sharpest cutouts because it uses vector technology. This resource demonstrates drawing a path around an object, adjusting control point handles, saving the path, loading it as a selection, and subtracting inner areas. * ✒️ **Vector Selection:** The pen tool gives clean, sharp edges without blur or soft lines. * 📍 **Control Points:** Use few anchor points and drag handles to bend the path. * ⌥ **Alt Trick:** Alt-click the last point to remove a handle and continue cleanly. * 🔄 **Path to Selection:** Load Path as Selection converts the saved path into a selection. * ➖ **Subtract Holes:** Subtract Front Shape cuts inner holes from the object. [ Read More ](javascript:void%280%29;) ![How to use Pen Tool in Photoshop](https://www.guru99.com/images/how-to-use-pen-tool-in-photoshop.png) There are a number of selection tools in [Photoshop](https://adobe.prf.hn/click/camref:1101lrcZD/pubref:how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adobe.com%2Fproducts%2Fphotoshop.html), but the pen tool is the only tool that gives you a very clean and sharp selection without blurred lines or soft edges, because the pen tool uses “vector technology”. So if you want to cut any object with clean, sharp edges, then you must have some knowledge about the “Pen tool”. So let us start with it. ## Photoshop Pen Tool Tutorial Here is my image, and I want to cut out this pair of sunglasses with the help of the “pen tool”. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F1.png) [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F2.png) So first go and select the pen tool in the toolbar. There are different types of pen tool we can see, but right now I am using this first pen tool. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F3.png) When you start drawing a path with the pen tool, I suggest you start it from any corner point of the object, and take very few control points. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F4.png) Now click and drag it; you can see a moving handle of the control point, and it bends the path as you can see. We can set our path properly with the help of this handle. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F5.png) Now click and drag for the next control point and bend its handle this way to set it properly. You can see here the path gets out of line, because when drawing the previous control point we bent its handle. So to overcome this problem, just hold the Alt key and click on the last control point before you create a new one. It will remove the handle and allow you to draw the path properly. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F6.png) Continue drawing the path like this. This is the path panel. In this you can see the path you have drawn some time before. Just double click on it and save it. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F7.png) [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F8.png) Here is the path which I have created before. Click on it, and see at the bottom of the path panel there is an icon called “Load Path as Selection”. By clicking on this icon you can convert the path into a selection. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F9.png) [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F10.png) So now select the [layer](https://www.guru99.com/what-is-layer-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html) and press CTRL + J to create a new layer of the selected portion. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F11.png) Here I want to cut this hole properly from the path. So I have to go to the path panel and select my path again, and see here in the “Pathfinder” options, I have to choose “Subtract Front Shape”. ### RELATED ARTICLES * [How to Remove Background from Image in Photoshop ](https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-extraction-techniques-in-photoshop-cc.html "How to Remove Background from Image in Photoshop") * [How to use Brush Tool in PhotoShop? ](https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-brush-tool-in-photoshop-cc.html "How to use Brush Tool in PhotoShop?") * [How to use Photoshop Text/Type Tool to add Text ](https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-text-tool-in-photoshop-cc.html "How to use Photoshop Text/Type Tool to add Text") * [How to take ScreenShot on Windows 10 PC (Computer/Laptop) ](https://www.guru99.com/screenshot-windows-computer.html "How to take ScreenShot on Windows 10 PC (Computer/Laptop)") [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F12.png) Now draw the path at the edge of that hole, select it, and delete it. Let me zoom in here. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F13.png) Here you can see the edges of the object are still very sharp. They have not been blurred. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/photoshop/pen%5Ftool%5F14.png) So with the help of the pen tool you can get a very clean, sharp, and accurate extraction, more than any other extraction technique in [Photoshop](https://www.guru99.com/introduction-to-photoshop-cc.html), because it follows vector technology. ## FAQs 🤖 Can AI select and cut out objects like the pen tool? Yes. AI tools such as Select Subject and Remove Background isolate objects in one click. For very precise, sharp edges, however, the pen tool still gives the cleanest vector-based selection. 🧠 Is AI selection better than the pen tool in Photoshop? AI selection is faster and works well for most images, but the pen tool offers finer manual control on complex or reflective edges. Many designers combine AI selection with pen-tool refinement. ✂️ What is the difference between the pen tool and the lasso tool? The pen tool creates precise, editable vector paths for sharp selections. The lasso tool makes freehand pixel selections that are quicker but less accurate and harder to adjust afterward. 📍 What are anchor points and handles in the pen tool? Anchor points are the clickable points that define a path. Handles extend from an anchor point and control the curve’s direction and depth, letting you bend the path smoothly. #### Summarize this post with: ChatGPT Perplexity Grok Google AI **Stay Updated on AI** **Get Weekly AI Skills, Trends, Actionable Advice.** ##### Sign up for the newsletter Subscribe for Free You have successfully subscribed. Please check your inbox. ![AI-Newsletter]() Chosen by over **350,000+** professionals [Scroll to top ](#wrapper)Scroll to top × Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#organization","name":"Guru99","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/Guru99Official","https://twitter.com/guru99com"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#logo","url":"https://www.guru99.com/images/guru99-logo-v1-150x59.png","contentUrl":"https://www.guru99.com/images/guru99-logo-v1-150x59.png","caption":"Guru99","inLanguage":"en-US"}},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#website","url":"https://www.guru99.com","name":"Guru99","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#organization"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/images/how-to-use-pen-tool-in-photoshop.png","url":"https://www.guru99.com/images/how-to-use-pen-tool-in-photoshop.png","width":"700","height":"250","caption":"How to use Pen Tool in Photoshop?","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":"1","item":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":"2","item":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/photoshop","name":"Photoshop"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":"3","item":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/photoshop/how-to-photoshop","name":"How to"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":"4","item":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html","name":"How to use Pen Tool in Photoshop? Complete Tutorial"}}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html#webpage","url":"https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html","name":"How to use Pen Tool in Photoshop? Complete Tutorial","dateModified":"2026-07-01T17:06:45+05:30","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/images/how-to-use-pen-tool-in-photoshop.png"},"inLanguage":"en-US","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html#breadcrumb"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/author/henry","name":"Henry Cooper","description":"I'm Henry Cooper, a web design and Photoshop expert, specializing in creating stunning websites and compelling designs.","url":"https://www.guru99.com/author/henry","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/images/henry-cooper-author.png","url":"https://www.guru99.com/images/henry-cooper-author.png","caption":"Henry Cooper","inLanguage":"en-US"},"worksFor":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#organization"}},{"@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"How to use Pen Tool in Photoshop? Complete Tutorial","keywords":"photoshop","dateModified":"2026-07-01T17:06:45+05:30","articleSection":"How to, Photoshop","author":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/author/henry","name":"Henry Cooper"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#organization"},"description":"Video Transcript: In this video we are gona talk about the \u201cpen tool\u201d. I\u2019ll show you how we can use pen tool for selection. There are numbers of selection tools in photoshop but the","copyrightYear":"2026","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#organization"},"name":"How to use Pen Tool in Photoshop? Complete Tutorial","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html#richSnippet","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html#webpage"},"image":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/images/how-to-use-pen-tool-in-photoshop.png"},"inLanguage":"en-US","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/how-to-use-pen-tool-photoshop-cc-tutorial.html#webpage"}}]} ```