How to Add a Border in Photoshop: Easy Step-by-Step Methods

Last updated on Nov 18, 2024 by Southie Williamson Reader Disclosure

Want to make your images pop? Sometimes, all it takes is the right finishing touch—like adding a border in Photoshop. Borders can transform your photos by framing the subject, enhancing their visual appeal, and adding a touch of creativity.

Whether you’re designing a polished presentation or sharing images online, a border can make all the difference. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about adding borders in Photoshop, from simple solid edges to more intricate designs.

Before we begin, make sure you have Photoshop installed—available through Adobe’s Creative Cloud Plan, which also includes Lightroom for all your photo editing needs. Let’s dive in!

Types of Borders in Photoshop

There are various ways to create a border for your photos in Photoshop CC, but there are 2 primary border types that you can use to make any border you’ve imagined to complete your picture.

Solid Borders

Solid borders have straight lines that go around each side of your photo. They come in traditional square and rectangle shapes but can be manipulated to feature rounded corners for a less geometric look. Rounded corners look great on all kinds of photos!

Imagine a photographic print framed with a mat. In Photoshop, you can create a solid white or black border around your picture to make it look like it’s framed with a mat. You can customize every aspect of a solid border, including:

• Width and thickness: Includes the ability to make the top and bottom border widths different from the border widths on the sides.
• Color: Set a custom color or sample an existing color from your image.
• Fill Pattern or Gradient: Fill a solid border with a gradient or pattern instead of a solid color.

Photoshop gives you complete control over the solid borders you create!

Custom Borders

Photoshop also helps you create custom borders if you want more than a solid frame around your picture. You can make any kind of custom border using Photoshop’s brush tool. For example, you could use a chalk-like brush to paint a chalkboard border around your image. Or, you could select a leaf pattern brush to make a border of falling leaves for your photo. With Photoshop’s vast library of brushes, the choice is yours! 

You should apply any type of border AFTER you’ve finished all retouching and editing, such as adding warmth and adjusting exposure. Borders only work on single layers, so ensure your background image is contained in one layer BEFORE you try to create a border.

Easiest Ways to Add a Border in Photoshop

Now that you know what kinds of borders Photoshop can create, let’s talk about how to create your own border. 

Perhaps you want to add a polaroid frame to a portrait of your family. Maybe you want to create a custom border for your landscape photography photo. Whatever the case may be, we’ll cover 2 of the easiest ways to add a border in Photoshop.

Method 1: Creating a Solid Border

The easiest border to create is a solid frame. We’ll follow these steps to create a simple, solid-colored border around a photograph:

• Open your image in Photoshop
• Flatten layers (if necessary)
• Go to Image » Canvas Size
• Click Relative in the dialog box and add your border dimensions
• Select your border color next to Canvas extension color
• Save and Export your photo

To create a solid border, first open your photo in Photoshop. For this tutorial, I’ll be working with an unedited photo:

If you’re adding your border to an edited photo with multiple layers, make sure to flatten your layers first. To flatten layers in Photoshop CC, select all active layers in the Layers panel at the bottom right-hand side of the workspace. Then, right-click and choose Flatten Image from the drop-down menu that appears.

Your workspace will look like this: 

Then, navigate to the Layers panel once again. Find the layer containing your photo. Click on the padlock icon once to unlock the layer.

The layer name will change after you click on the padlock. Now, your photo is contained in “Layer 0.” Feel free to rename this layer however you’d like. 

Next, you’ll need to enlarge the canvas so that there is space to include a border. Choose Image » Canvas Size at the top of the Photoshop toolbar. 

In the dialog box that appears, make sure to check Relative. Then, type the desired width of your border. In this case, I’ve created a 2-inch border around my photo. 

Within this dialog box, you can also choose your border color. Locate the Canvas extension color at the bottom of the box, and select the color you’d like. I decided to keep it simple with a white border.

Click OK, and your photo will have a border as soon as you’ve completed these steps! You can change the dimensions of your border by readjusting the canvas size. 

When you finish, Save the file. Go ahead and Export your new image with a border!

Method 2: Creating a Custom Border in Photoshop

If a plain border just isn’t for you, never fear! Photoshop’s brush tool makes it simple to create a customized border. Here are the steps we’ll follow:

• Open your image in Photoshop
• Flatten layers (if necessary)
• Create a Solid Layer from the New Fill/Adjustment Layer button
• Choose a color for your border
• Invert the layer mask
• Choose a brush for your border
• Paint with white on the black mask to create your border
• Save your Photoshop file and Export your photo

To start, open your photograph in Photoshop:

Once again, I’m going to leave this photo unedited. If you are working with more than one layer, Flatten them now. 

Next, I’m going to create a layer mask for this photograph. A layer mask will allow us to obscure and reveal portions of the picture without manipulating it directly. 

To make a mask, click the Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. Then select Solid Color from the options that appear.

Choose a color for your border.

Once you’ve selected a color, notice that the color of the adjustment layer you created will change to match it.

You’ll see that the mask covers the whole photograph. We want our photograph to show through the mask, so double-click on the mask and select Invert. The color of your mask will turn black, and your photograph will be visible.

Now, you’re ready to paint your custom border. To do this, we’ll be using Photoshop’s brush tool. Click on the brush icon to access Photoshop’s brush catalog, and find the brush that suits your vision.

You can always create your own if you don’t see any brushes you like here. I’ll be using a chalk-like brush to create my border.

Using your brush, paint white onto the mask to conceal the edges of your photograph. 

The mask reveals your border wherever you paint. The brush strokes you paint appear on the black mask as white strokes, even though they reveal the blue background of the photograph.

My border looks like this:

You can change the border’s color by clicking on the solid layer. For this version, I used the color picker to sample the pink in the photograph:

I sampled the blue-green color from the photo using the color picker for this border:

Experiment with the color of the border until you’re happy, then save your Photoshop file so that you can edit your border in the future and export your photograph.

Wrapping It Up

Adding a border to your images in Photoshop is a simple yet effective way to enhance their visual appeal and make them stand out. Whether you choose a solid border, a creative stroke effect, or a textured pattern, the process allows you to add a professional touch to your photos while showcasing your creativity. Experiment with different styles, colors, and thicknesses to see what works best for your image.

By following the methods outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to customize borders that align perfectly with your vision. Remember, the best tutorial for adding a border in Photoshop depends on what you want your border to look like. If you’re a hands-on learner, the best way to learn is to practice yourself.

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More Photoshop Tutorials

• How to Change the Color of Text in Photoshop: Tutorial + Tips
• Quick Guide: How to Make an Image Transparent in Photoshop
• Black and White with One Color Pop: Lightroom & Photoshop Guide
• How to Blur Edges in Photoshop
• How to Apply Texture to Your Images in Photoshop

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