Photoshop Elements 2 Filters

Shows thumbnail samples of all filters
Default location is second from left in the well

The Filters palette, formerly known as the Filters Browser shows a thumbnail of an unfiltered example image (a sailboat) followed by sample thumbnail(s) of either one selected filter (in List View), or of all the filters (in Thumbnail View).

The thumbnails are not really large enough to give much of an idea of the effect, but they may be good for jogging your memory.

If a selected filter has a dialog box with options you can change, you can see it or not, by checking, or unchecking the Filter Options box at the top of the palette. When checked, the dialog box will open after you click the Apply button. If there are no options for the selected filter, the Filter Options checkbox will be grayed out.

Apply a selected filter by clicking the Apply button, or by dragging the filter name or thumbnail onto the image.

To have the last used filter dialog box appear again, press Ctrl-Alt and the F key on your keyboard.

Please note that palettes which are in the palette well will not stay open while you edit. You also cannot access the palette menu when a palette is in the well. To bring a palette out of the well, click on its name tab and drag it out.

The Thumbnail View of the filters browser is shown on the left, below.

On the right below, is the same palette showing List View. Use the palette menu (click on the arrow in the top right corner), or the buttons in the bottom right corner to switch between these two palette views. [Note that all illustrations shown below are from Elements 1. Except for cosmetic differences, they are the same in Elements 2.]

To display any palette which is not currently on the screen, choose Window > Show [palette name]. To close a palette, click the X in its upper right corner. You can group palettes under a shared blue bar by dragging the name tab of one under the blue bar of another.

To hide all palettes and the toolbar, press the Tab key. To hide the palettes, but leave the toolbar in view, hold down the Shift key while pressing the Tab key. Pressing the Tab key again will bring them all back. This can be a big help if the palettes are overlapping an image you are trying to work on.