Fill a Shape with a Photo in Photoshop 2026

Download PDF: Fill A Shape With A Photo

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to fill a shape with an image in Photoshop. Placing a photo inside any shape—from a basic circle to a custom design—is easier than you might think. We'll use a custom shape for this effect, and I’ll even show you how to load Photoshop's hidden legacy shapes to give you hundreds of options.

Here's an example of the final effect. You'll also learn how to change the background color, or remove the background completely, so you can place your shape on any background you like.

Which Photoshop version do I need?

I'm using Photoshop 2026. You can get Photoshop here or use the Creative Cloud Desktop app to make sure your copy is up to date.

Let's get started!

Download all of our Photoshop tutorials as PDFs!

Step 1: Create a new document

Start by creating a new Photoshop document.

If you are on Photoshop's Home Screen, click the New file button.

Or go to File > New.

In the New Document dialog box, enter your document settings in the right column.

For a square canvas, set the Width and Height to 2000 pixels. Because we are placing a high-resolution photo inside the shape, set the Resolution to 300 Pixels/Inch. Leave the Background Contents set to White.

Click Create.

Photoshop creates your new document.

Step 2: Open the Shapes panel

The fastest way to draw custom shapes in Photoshop is to add them from the Shapes panel.

If your Shapes panel is not already open, go to Window > Shapes.

The Shapes panel opens in the secondary panel column.

Show or hide the panel by clicking its icon.

Initially, you will only see the default custom shapes, which are divided into groups (folders).

Click the arrow next to any folder icon to view the shapes inside.

Drag the bottom of the Shapes panel downward to expand it and view more shapes at once.

Step 3: Load the missing shapes

To load Photoshop's many hidden shapes, click the Shapes panel menu icon.

Choose Legacy Shapes and More.

A new Legacy Shapes and More group appears below the defaults.

Step 4: Select a shape

Inside this group are two more folders. 2019 Shapes holds newer shapes added in Photoshop 2020, while All Legacy Default Shapes holds the classic shapes from older versions.

For this tutorial, we will use a classic shape. Click the arrow to open the All Legacy Default Shapes group.

Scroll down to the Nature set and open it.

Select the Butterfly shape.

Step 5: Drag and drop the shape onto the canvas

To add the shape, click and drag its thumbnail from the Shapes panel and drop it onto the canvas.

Photoshop draws the shape when you release your mouse button.

Step 6: Resize and center the shape

Before resizing the shape, check the Options Bar. Make sure the link icon between the Width and Height fields is selected to lock the shape’s aspect ratio.

Resize the shape by clicking and dragging any of the transform handles (the small squares around the shape).

Hold the Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key as you drag to resize the shape from its center.

Click and drag the shape into the center of the canvas. It will snap into place when you get close to the center.

Click the checkmark in the Options Bar to accept it.

In the Layers panel, the shape appears on its own shape layer.

The small icon in the lower right of the thumbnail indicates it is a shape layer.

Step 7: Check the fill and stroke options in the Properties panel

With the shape layer selected, use the Properties panel to access the shape’s options, including the fill and stroke.

By default, Photoshop uses black for the fill color. This is fine since the photo will cover it up.

However, Photoshop also adds a 1-pixel black stroke around the shape.

We can add a custom stroke later, but for now, turn it off.

Click the Stroke color swatch.:

Click the No Color icon in the upper left of the panel. Click outside the panel to close it, or press Enter (Win) / Return (Mac).

Step 8: Place your image into the document

To place your photo into the same document as your shape, use the Place Embedded command.

Go to File > Place Embedded.

Navigate to the image on your computer, click on it to select it, and click Place.

Photoshop adds the image in front of the shape, resizing it to fit if it is larger than your document.

The image I'm using is from Adobe Stock.

We will resize the image again after placing it inside the shape. For now, click the checkmark in the Options Bar to accept it.

In the Layers panel, the image appears on a new layer above the shape layer. Photoshop automatically converted the image into a smart object (indicated by the icon in the thumbnail's lower right). This ensures the image won’t lose quality when resized.

Step 9: Create a clipping mask

Currently, the image is sitting in front of the shape. To place it inside the shape, click the Layers panel menu icon.

Choose Create Clipping Mask.

A clipping mask restricts the visible area of the image to the boundaries of the shape layer below it. Any part of the image outside the shape is hidden from view, creating the illusion that the photo is inside the shape.

In the Layers panel, the image layer is now indented to the right with a small downward arrow pointing to the shape layer. This indicates an active clipping mask.

Step 10: Resize and reposition the image with Free Transform

To resize and reposition the image within the shape, go to Edit > Free Transform.

In the Options Bar, ensure the link icon is selected between the Width and Height fields.

Resize the image by dragging any of the transform handles. Hold the Alt (Win) / Option (Mac) key as you drag to resize the image from its center.

Drag the image to position your subject within the shape. Adjust the size and position until it looks right.

When finished, click the checkmark in the Options Bar.

How to change the background color

At this point, the main effect is complete. Next, let's explore how to change the background color behind the shape using a Solid Color fill layer.

Step 1: Add a Solid Color fill layer

We want the Solid Color fill layer to appear directly above the Background layer.

In the Layers panel, click the Background layer to select it.

Click the New Fill or Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Choose Solid Color from the list.

Step 2: Choose a new background color

Photoshop opens the Color Picker so you can choose a new background color.

The default color is black, which works nicely to bring out the details of the shape.

However, in this case, it’s too dark for a butterfly.

You can choose a new color from the Color Picker, or sample a color directly from your image.

Move your mouse cursor over the image to temporarily switch to the Eyedropper Tool. Click on a color to sample it.

Here, sampling a light skin tone from the girl’s forehead instantly changes the background color.

Click OK to close the Color Picker.

In the Layers panel, the new Solid Color fill layer sits between the Background layer and the shape layer.

How to add a stroke around the shape

Another way to enhance the effect is by adding a stroke.

Step 1: Select the shape layer

In the Layers panel, click the shape layer to select it.

Step 2: Add a stroke layer effect

While you can add a stroke from the Properties panel, using layer effects provides more flexibility.

Click the fx icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Choose Stroke.

In the Layer Style dialog box, click the color swatch to change the stroke’s color.

Choose a new color from the Color Picker. To use white, set the R, G, and B values to 255.

Click OK.

Back in the Layer Style dialog box, set the Position to Outside so the stroke sits outside the shape's edges.

Increase the Size value to adjust the thickness. For this image, a size of 18 px works well.

Click OK to close the Layer Style dialog box. Here is the result with the stroke applied.

If you decide you don’t like the stroke, turn it off by clicking the visibility icon (the eyeball) next to the word Stroke in the Layers panel.

How to remove the background behind the shape

Finally, let’s look at how to completely remove the background so you can place the shape onto a different background or save it with transparency.

Step 1: Turn off the Background layer and Solid Color fill layer

To remove the background, turn off the Background layer by clicking its visibility icon in the Layers panel.

If you added a Solid Color fill layer earlier, click its visibility icon to turn it off as well.

This leaves you with a transparent background, represented by a checkerboard pattern.

Step 2: Trim away the transparent pixels

To remove the extra transparent space surrounding the shape, go to Image > Trim.

In the Trim dialog box, select Transparent Pixels at the top. Ensure Top, Bottom, Left, and Right are all checked at the bottom. Click OK.

Photoshop trims away the surrounding transparent areas.

Step 3: Save the result as a PNG file

To save your transparent result, go to File > Save a Copy.

If prompted, choose Save on your computer.

To preserve the transparency behind the shape, you must save it as a PNG file (JPEGs do not support transparency).

Click the Save as type (Win) or Format (Mac) dropdown and choose PNG.

Name your file (e.g., image-in-shape.png).

Choose your save location and click Save.

Finally, in the PNG Format Options dialog box, select the Smallest file size option and click OK.

And there you have it! That’s how to place an image into a shape in Photoshop.

Don't forget, all of my Photoshop tutorials are available to download as PDFs

Check out my Photo Effects tutorials for more creative ideas!