How to Install Layer Styles in Older Versions of Photoshop Elements

There are hundreds of Web sites offering free Photoshop layer style effects in ASL file format. These Layer styles can also be used in Photoshop Elements. Here's what to do with these files to get them working in Elements.

If you are installing layer styles in the latest version of Photoshop Elements, please visit the following link.
• How to Use Free Photoshop Content in Photoshop Elements

The following instructions are for installing layer styles into older versions of Photoshop Elements.

Photoshop Elements 6 for Windows: Close Photoshop Elements if it is running. Copy the ASL files into the folder below, according to your version of Windows.
(Vista) C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\6.0\Locale\en_US\Photo Creations\layer styles
(XP) C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\6.0\Locale\en_US\Photo Creations\layer styles

Replace en_US for your locale if you are running a different language version of Photoshop Elements.

Hold the Shift key down immediately after launching the Editor from the Welcome Screen and keep it held down until the Editor fully loads.

If your new styles do not appear, you will need to delete (or move to the recycle bin) the following file:
(Vista) C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\6.0\Locale\en_US\MediaDatabase.db3
(XP) C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\6.0\Locale\en_US\MediaDatabase.db3

This will force the thumbnail database for the Artwork and Effects palette to rebuild. Be patient as this can take a long time.

Photoshop Elements 5 for Windows: Close Photoshop Elements if it is running. Navigate to
(Vista) C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0\Photo Creations\special effects\layer styles\
(XP) C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0\Photo Creations\special effects\layer styles\
Create a folder here (under "layer styles"). The name of this folder will become the name of the category under which the styles will appear in Elements.

Place your ASL files in the folder you created. You can place multiple ASL files in the same folder and they will all appear in the same category.

Hold the Shift key down immediately after launching the Editor from the Welcome Screen and keep it held down until you see a message about rebuilding the Artwork and Effects Cache.

If your new styles do not appear, you will need to delete (or move to the recycle bin) the following file:
(Vista) C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0\ThumbDatabase.db3
(XP) C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0\ThumbDatabase.db3
This will force the thumbnail database for the Artwork and Effects palette to rebuild.

Photoshop Elements 4 and lower: Place the *.asl files into:
Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements X\Presets\Styles where X is the version number for your version of Photoshop Elements.

All Versions: If you also want the layer styles to be available from the style chooser in the options bar when the shape tool is used, you should put the styles into the \Presets\Styles subfolder, under the Photoshop Elements installation folder. (In most cases this will be C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements X.0\Presets\Styles)

• Free Layer Styles

If you are installing layer styles in the latest version of Photoshop Elements, please visit the following link.
• How to Use Free Photoshop Content in Photoshop Elements

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