Functionality of Step Backward in Photoshop

Undo is a command that is most commonly used while working with any software program. Whenever you do any mistake accidentally during work or somehow you don’t feel satisfied with your work, you can simply apply the command named Undo to delete the wrong or undesired work from your document. For instance, you are working on Microsoft Word and you have performed the following tasks:

• You have pasted a paragraph on the page.
• Secondly, you have inserted an image.
• Thirdly, you have added a caption for that image.

Having performed all the tasks described above, if you apply the command named Undo  for the very first time, the caption will be disappeared from the document. If you apply the command named Undo second time,  the inserted image will be vanished from the document. Finally, if you apply the same command third time, the pasted paragraph will be vanished from the page. That is how you can correct all the mistakes and prepare a perfectly accurate document. Though, using the command named Undo you can correct all the mistakes with remarkable ease while working with most of the software programs, but unfortunately, while working on Photoshop, this command may not be proved as much simpler and easier as it seems in the case of Microsoft Word or any other software. 

Whenever you apply the command named Undo on Photoshop document, Photoshop delete the impact of the most recently applied command, whether it be some other command or the command named Undo itself. For instance, while working with Photoshop you have performed the following tasks:

• You have added a new layer.
• Secondly, you have filled background color inside it.
• Thirdly, you have reduced the opacity level for that layer up to 70%.

Having performed all the tasks described above if you select the command named Undo for the very first time ,the opacity level of the selected layer will turn  back from 70% to  100%as the reduction in the opacity level was the most recent work done on the document in that case. But problem is that, if you will apply the command named Undo second time consecutively on the same document, the opacity level of the layer will get reduced again from 100% to 70%. The reason is that, whenever you apply the command named Undo, this command itself becomes the most recent command applied on the document and it delete the impact of itself when you apply it second time consecutively.

Two commands of Photoshop 

In order to resolve that issue, Photoshop introduced another command that is referred a Step Backward. This command helps you to delete the undesired impacts of two or more than two consecutively applied commands on the document.

How does Step Backward work in Adobe Photoshop?

In order to understand the functionality of the command named Step Backward follow the instructions given below:

First of all create a new Photoshop document with RGB Color Mode and White Content specified.

Blank PSD file with RGB color mode and White Content

In order to fill Background Color inside the newly created document, hit CTRL + Backspace on the Keyboard. As soon as you will do so, the color that has been selected as Background Color in Tool Box will be filled inside the locked  background layer of the document according to the picture below
.

Background Color has been filled inside the locked background layer

Then add a new layer by hitting the tiny icon that can be seen right beneath the Layer Palette and referred as Create a new Layer. As soon as you will hit that icon, a new layer will be added in the document along with the locked background layer and a new thumbnail representing that new layer will be appeared in the Layer Palette right above the locked background layer. As the new layer will be completely transparent and the background layer will  totally be visible from behind it, the addition of new layer will not cause any change in the overall look of the document. As can be seen in the picture below.

Two thumbnails in the Layer Palette indicating the presence of  two  separate layers in the document

After the addition of a new layer, hit Alt+ Backspace on the keyboard to fill Foreground Color inside it. As soon as you will hit Alt + Backspace, the color that has been selected as Foreground Color in the tool box will be filled inside that layer and it will hide totally the formerly visible background layer according to the picture below.

Foreground color has been filled inside layer 1

Then reduce the Opacity of the layer 1 from 100% to 70%using the slide named Opacity that can be seen inside the Layer Palette right beside the drop-down menu referred as Blending Modes. As soon as you will reduce the Opacity of layer 1, the color of  background layer will start to reveal itself to some extant  from behind the layer 1 according to the picture below.

Layer 1 with reduced Opacity level

Then get inside the Edit Menu and select the option named Step Backward for the very first time either by clicking on it in the menu or by hitting CTRL + ALT +Z on the keyboard.

Option referred as Step Backward given in the Edit Menu

As soon as you will select that option, you will notice that the opacity of   layer 1 will turn back from 70% to 100% all by itself and it will hide the background layer completely according to the picture below.

Opacity level has been turned back from 70% to 100% for the layer 1

Then, select the command named Step Backward again. As soon as you will do so, impacts of the  second last command applied on the document  named Foreground Color  will be deleted and the layer 1 will get completely transparent again. Further, the Background layer will become perfectly visible again according to the picture below
.

Impact of the command named Foreground Color has been deleted

After that, select the command named Step Backward one more time, and this time the impact of the third last command (Creation of a new layer) will be removed and the layer 1 will be vanished from the Layer Palette according to the picture below.

Layer 1 no longer available

Then select  the command named Step Backward again either by clicking on it in the Edit Menu or by hitting CTRL +  ALT + Z on the keyboard. As soon as you will perform that action, impact of the fourth last command  (Background Color) will be removed and the Background layer will turn pure white again according to the picture below.

Background layer turned  pure white again

Having removed the impacts of all the commands applied on the document, if you have a look on the Edit Menu you will notice that the command named Step Backward no longer available there as there is left nothing to be undone anymore.

Option referred as Step Backward can not be used when nothing left to be undone  on the document

So that’s the way through which you can rectify all the mistakes and everything  undesired  done on the Photoshop document during the work.

I am certain this post will be proved helpful to all the readers especially the beginner ones in the field of Information Technology in general and in the field of Computer Graphic in particular. If you want to put forward any question regarding the topic or suggestion for further improvement kindly don't forget to subscribe your comments.