Using the Info palette in Photoshop

The Info palette displays information about the color values beneath the pointer and, depending on the tool in use, other useful measurements.

To display the Info palette:

Choose Window > Info.
The Info palette displays the following information:
• When displaying CMYK values, the Info palette displays an exclamation point next to the CMYK values if the color beneath the pointer or color sampler is out of the printable CMYK color gamut.
• When you use the marquee tool, the Info palette displays the x- and y-coordinates of the pointer position and the width (W) and height (H) of the marquee as you drag.
• When you use the crop tool or zoom tool, the Info palette displays the width (W) and height (H) of the marquee as you drag. The palette also shows the angle of rotation of the crop marquee.
• When you use the line tool, pen tool, or gradient tool or when you move a selection, the Info palette displays the x- and y-coordinates of your starting position, the change in X (DX), the change in Y (DY), the angle (A), and the distance (D) as you drag.
• When you use a two-dimensional transformation command, the Info palette displays the percentage change in width (W) and height (H), the angle of rotation (A), and the angle of horizontal skew (H) or vertical skew (V).
• When you use any color adjustment dialog box (for example, Curves), the Info palette displays the before and after color values of the pixels beneath the pointer and beneath color samplers.

(ImageReady) The Info palette displays the following information:

• The RGB numeric values for the color beneath the pointer.
• The Opacity value for the pixels beneath the pointer.
• The hexadecimal value for the color beneath the pointer.
• The index color table position for the color beneath the pointer.
• The x- and y-coordinates of the pointer.
• The x- and y-coordinates of your starting position (before you click in the image) and your ending position (as you drag in the image) when you use the marquee tool, the shape tools, the crop tool, and the slice tool.
• The width (W) and height (H) of the selection as you drag when you use the crop tool, the shape tools, the slice tool, or the zoom tool.
• The percentage change in width (W) and height (H), the angle of rotation (A), and the angle of horizontal skew (H) or vertical skew (V) when you use a Transform or Free Transform command.

To change the Info palette options:

1. Choose Palette Options from the Info palette menu.
2. For First Color Readout, choose one of the following display options:
• Actual Color to display values in the current color mode of the image.
• Total Ink to display the total percentage of all CMYK ink at the pointer's current location, based on the values set in the CMYK Setup dialog box.
• Opacity to display the opacity of the current layer. This option does not apply to the background.
• Any other option to display the color values in that color mode.
3. For Second Color Readout, choose a display option listed in step 2.
4. For Ruler Units, choose a unit of measurement.
5. Click OK.

To change measurement units, click the cross-hair icon in the Info palette for a menu of options. To change color readout modes, click the eyedropper icon.