Layer Cleaner

Layer Cleaner is a preset from the Layer Manager bundle. It helps you maintain order within your layers. You can delete empty and hidden layers or groups, hide disabled smart filters and layer styles, and remove unused layer, vector and filter masks. This preset can process several thousands of layers in just a few seconds. Keep your Photoshop file tidy!

ATTENTION: this preset deletes layers. You should save your document before applying the preset, so you can always go back to the original version, if layers were accidentally deleted.

Basics

Layers

AllAll layers of the current document are searched.
Selected
Only selected layers will be searched.

Locked Layers

Locked layers will be avoided. If you also want to examine locked layers, you have to activate this option. A layer is only locked when everything is locked. Should, for example, only transparent pixels be fixed or the position locked, the layer is not considered locked. Layers that are in locked groups are also not considered locked. In this article from Adobe you will learn more about fixing layers.

Locked layer in Photoshop.

Effects & Filters

Unused Layer Effect

By using layer styles, you can apply certain effects to a layer. For example: Drop Shadow or Outer Glow. Disabling these effects will still leave them attached to a layer. This option allows you to delete unused layer effects. Learn more about layer effects in this article from Adobe.

Disabled layer effects (left). Cleaned layer without the disabled layer effects (right).

Unused Smart Filter

Filters applied to a smart object are called smart filters. Like layer effects, they can be disabled individually. This option allows you to delete all unused smart filters. Learn more about smart filters in this article from Adobe.

Disabled smart filter (left). Cleaned layer without the disabled smart filter (right).

Delete Layers & Groups

Empty, hidden and transparent layers (left). Clean document (right).

Empty Layers

This option allows you to delete all empty layers. Empty layers are layers that have no content at all. These are often created by mistake or the content is deleted during editing. Clipping masks associated with empty layers will be hidden.

Hidden Layers

This option allows you to delete all hidden layers. Clipping masks associated with this layer will be hidden.

Layers with no opacity

Layers with an opacity of 0% are being deleted with this option because they are not visible. The option does not apply to fill. Clipping masks associated with this layer will be hidden.

Empty Groups

This option deletes empty groups. If there are only empty or hidden layers in a group, they will be deleted firstly (if the option is active). Accordingly, the group would then be empty and would also be deleted.

Delete masks

Empty Layer Mask

Empty (white) layer masks will be removed with this option. Especially adjustment layers automatically create layer masks. You can remove them all at once. Of course, layer masks that are being used (not pure white) will be not deleted.

Layers with layer masks (left). Cleaned layers with no empty layer masks (right).

Empty Vector Mask

With this option you can remove empty vector masks. Learn more about vector masks in this article from Adobe.

Layers with vector masks and layer mask (red). On the right side layers with removed empty vector masks.

Empty Filter Mask

Smart filters, which are filters applied to smart objects, automatically generate a filter mask that is mostly not needed. With this option you can delete it. Read more about filter masks in this article from Adobe.

Smart Object with filter mask (left) und a the cleaned-up version (right).

Custom Presets

All settings can be saved as Custom Presets and accessed easily at any time. Read more about Custom Presets in this article.

FX-Panel Custom Preset Create

Create Button

You can only create this presets. Read more about the Create Button in this article.

Create only button

Panel Options Screenshot

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