Finding the Elements manual
The most common questions (complaints, really) that we hear from new Photoshop Elements users is, “Why isn’t there a manual? And, why isn’t it in the box?”
We’re not Adobe, so we can’t answer the why, but we do tell people that Adobe does provide a solid help system for Elements. Plus, if you want something a bit more traditional, you can download a PDF of the full manual online. With the release of Elements 9, I thought it would be a good time to post the locations of the online help areas–which include links for downloading the PDFs for the most recent versions.
Photoshop Elements 10
Photoshop Elements 9
Photoshop Elements 8
Photoshop Elements 7
Photoshop Elements 6
- Photoshop Elements 6 Resources page (Windows and Mac)
The PDF manuals are generally found in the black bar at the top of the screen–on the left side for some versions, on the right for others–just click the link “View the PDF.” (click the images below to see them a bit bigger)
Adobe's Elements 9 Help page
Elements 8 Help page
General Elements help can be found online here.
Related Tags: elements 10, elements 6, elements 7, elements 8, elements 9, manual
Mary
October 17, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Great! Thanks!
William
October 18, 2010 at 7:32 pm
NEW TO THIS. HAVING TROUBLE DOWN LOADING AND OPENING “FAKING A BLUE SKY” FILE IN ELEMENTS AND TRYING TO GET IT TO WORK. ANY COMMENTS
Thomas
November 1, 2010 at 8:14 am
This is very good but I have PSE 5 and would like to get a manual for that version. Thanks, Tom
Rick
November 1, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Unfortunately, Thomas – Adobe appears to have removed the manual for Elements 5 from their site. Or they’ve made it very hard to find, because all of the old links I have take you to the main Elements support page.
Sorry I can’t be of more help on this,
Rick
Robert
November 4, 2010 at 10:43 am
I’m eagerly awaiting my first issue of elements magazine.
Chris
November 12, 2010 at 5:19 am
Hello,
Do you have a Photoshop equivalent? I recently purchased Photoshop. I am still using Elements as I am still learning, but I find your webpage to be very resourceful.
thanks
Chris Pidgeon
sally
November 14, 2010 at 8:00 am
Easy ascess will be great.
Bill
December 2, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Really like your magazine and your web sight. I just downloaded Elements 9, so I know even less about 9 than I did about 8. Should I delete 8? If so, How? Will I loose any photos? I don’t want to touch anything until I am sure that I know what I am doing. Thanks
Rick LePage
December 2, 2010 at 2:37 pm
I wouldn’t delete 8 until you’re sure your catalog got updated ok in Version 9, and you’re seeing your old photos and tags. After that, you can use the Remove Programs option in Windows to get rid of Elements 8.
It’s not going to delete any of your photos regardless – deleting Elements will only get rid of the program, not your stuff.
Rick
Richard
December 18, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I can pretty much see why they didn’t publish the manual. The PDF for the editor is 327 pages. That’s a lot of added cost, and it’s still available to download for people like me who don’t know squat about this stuff.
Howard
December 28, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Unfortunately, this has been a common theme, forcing the consumer to download and/or print using his own paper and ink. A cost savings for the software manufacturer, but a shifting of cost to the consumer. I think this is short-sighted. Can you imagine buying a book that has a link to a website where you can view it? Oh, I forgot. Those are called e-books.
Howard
December 28, 2010 at 2:47 pm
And of course they also ‘sell’ a book about how to use the program.
Michael
February 12, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Help — in PSE9 I hane 3 hand tool, 3 eyedroppers tools , 3 zoom tools all the tools are shower 3 at one time.
Dr. Robert H.
March 8, 2011 at 8:38 am
I hate to tell you this, but I believe you have put (2) Chapter 7s in you user’s manual found in the HELP section of Photoelements 9. Maybe I’m wrong, but it sure looks like two different subjects are listed as being Chapter 7. One was labeled “Managing Files and Catalogs”, listed as Chapter 7. And the other, a chapter on “Color and tonal correction” also is named Chapter 7. It must have been missed in the editing process..
RHJ
KIRKE
March 22, 2011 at 4:59 pm
This is GREAT. I am very new to Elements (I have ver 9) and totally lost. Your note on finding the PDF Manuals from Adobe Help was outstanding. I now have a place to start. Your Magazine along with your tutorials gives me real encouragement. I tried Photoshop CS but finally gave up after three months of intense study. It was just too much to absorb especially if one is not going to use it all the time. thanks, Silver Leaf
Verneitta
April 19, 2011 at 2:00 pm
This is great, Just what I needed.
Christine
November 5, 2011 at 3:05 pm
So far I have spent about 6 hrs trying to find where the artwork I need is located in PSE9. I scrapbook and combine pics on one picture to tell a story. The collage feature in PSE9 is different from that in version 7 which is very user friendly. Was this functionality removed from PSE9?
In addition if you can tell me why and how to fix an error I am receiving in PSE7 I would appreciate. Adobe CHAT was useless. The pop up error which constantly pops up and is in a box labelled Photoshop Elements is that a file – MP4FileLibU.dll is missing. This message appeared suddenly yesterday. Prior to this I had no issues. I am using Windows 7.
Eileen
November 15, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Why does it say Photoshop Elements 10 when I open up Photoshop Elements 9.
Thanks Eileen
Gwen
December 15, 2011 at 2:13 pm
We all need a little help now and then. Great to have this info!
James
January 21, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Thanks for this, it’s great to have it handy!