Installing actions in Photoshop Elements can sometimes be confusing. The method and location of installation is different with each version of Elements and computer operating system. Because of all these variations, it’s important that you use the correct instructions for your computer’s operating system and Elements version.

Table of contents

How to show hidden files
Where to install action files
Elements 5 installation issues under Vista
Running an action
Uninstalling an action

If your computer is running under Windows XP or Vista, before you install an action, you must make sure Windows’ hidden files and folders are visible so you can find the destination folder for actions, and see the file formats, or extensions (the last 3 characters of the filename, after the dot). To change Windows’ files and folders settings, follow these steps:

1. Open any folder
2. Click Tools from the menu and choose Folder Options
3. In the Folder Options dialog, click the View tab
4. Scroll down until you see Hidden Files and Folders
5. Click the button beside “Show hidden files and folders”
6. If there is a checkmark in the box beside “Hide Extensions for Known File Types,” click the box to remove the checkmark
7. Click OK

When downloading an action, it is usually easiest to select your desktop as the download destination. In most cases, you may find that the downloaded file has a .ZIP extension, which means that it is zipped, or compressed, indicated by a folder icon with a zipper. In that case, you will need to extract, or uncompress, the file before placing the action in the proper location. The easiest way to open and extract a zipped file in Windows XP or Vista is to double-click on the zipped folder to open it, and then drag the inside folder out to your desktop. Or, you may right-click on the zipped folder and select Extract All from the pop-up menu, then follow the steps provided below.

Once you have downloaded and extracted your action file, there may be one or more types of files included in the folder:

• ATN–This is the action file and is always required. A set of actions may include several ATN files in the folder.
• PNG (or in some older actions PSD or JPG)–This is a thumbnail graphically representing an action, usually included in the action folder, but not always. For a set of actions, there should be a PNG file matching each ATN file.
• XML–This type of file contains programming language that will organize a set of actions together into one category in the Photo Effects menu (for Elements 6 and up). Actions for PSE5 do not use XML files.

There may also be files containing instructions or terms of use included with your action. Those types of files should not be copied to the destination folder during installation.

It is best to close Elements before installation. Installing an action consists of opening the appropriate folder within the Elements program and copying the downloaded files where they need to go. To find the destination folder, you click through a series of folders and subfolders, called a “path,” until you reach the target folder. This path, and the final destination folder where you place the action files, depends on your operating system and your version of Elements.

Not sure how to navigate the path to destination folders? Click here.

Copy the unzipped action folder containing the action files to the following location.

For Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0\Photo Creations\Special Effects\Photo Effects

For Vista
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0\Photo Creations\Special Effects\Photo Effects

An action created for Photoshop Elements 5 generally includes one or more ATN files and one Thumbs.PSD file. In Photoshop Elements 5, keeping each action or action set in its own folder will automatically organize the actions so they appear in the drop-down menu in their own category by name.

If the action folder contains a PNG file instead of a Thumbs.PSD file, or no thumbnail file at all, it should still function, but it will display a blank square in the Photo Effects palette, with the action name below the square.

After copying the new action folder to its destination, hold down the Shift key while restarting Elements and then you should find your new action under the Artwork and Effects palette, third icon under the Photo Effects menu.

If you still don’t see your new action after restarting with the Shift key depressed, navigate to the following location and rename or delete this file: MediaDatabase.db3

For Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0

For Vista
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0

Restart Elements, and while it is loading, it will create a new MediaDatabase.db3 file, which will include the new actions you added. A status box will pop up indicating Elements is “Building Artwork and Effects,” which may take quite a while to complete, so please be patient. Once the update is complete, you should then find your new action in the Photo Effects menu.

Some users have had problems running Photoshop Elements 5 under Vista. If your computer is running Vista, you may want to upgrade to Photoshop Elements 6 or Photoshop Elements 7; or try installing Adobe’s Photoshop Elements 5.0.2 update, which may provide better compatibility with Vista (32-bit versions only). The update can be found in the Downloads section on Adobe.com. (link)

For Photoshop Elements 5, in the Artwork & Effects palette, click the third icon, resulting in two drop-down menus. In the left drop-down, select Photo Effects and then in the right drop-down select the action category name or Show All. Choose the action you wish to run from the action thumbnails displayed, and then click the Apply button at the bottom of the palette. Double-clicking on the action thumbnail will also execute the action.

In Photoshop Elements 5, to delete an action you no longer want, navigate to the Photo Effects folder and delete the action folder you copied there. Then restart Elements.