This lesson installs .atn Photoshop action files and shows how to run them. An action is a saved sequence of steps — hours of repetitive work become one click.
2026 note: This lesson was recorded on Photoshop CS6 in 2014. Adobe no longer sells the CS line — Photoshop now ships via Creative Cloud subscription. About 95% of the menus and shortcuts shown in the video still match the modern version; only the iconography is a bit fresher.
Install an Action
- Open the panel via Window > Actions (
Alt + F9). - From the top-right menu pick Load Actions…
- Select your
.atnfile. - Hit the bottom Play button to run it.
Record Your Own Action
- Create a new group via the folder icon.
- Hit + to add a new action, name it.
- Press the red record button — every step you take is captured.
- Stop with the square stop button.
- Open another file and press Play to repeat everything automatically.
Batch Processing
Apply an action to hundreds of images in a folder via File > Automate > Batch. Wedding photography exports, e-commerce prep, watermarking — all one click.
2026 Tip
For complex conditional workflows, Photoshop’s Scripts (jsx/uxp) let you write actual JavaScript logic.
