Freeform Pen Tool

The Freeform Pen Tool combines the convenience of freehand drawing with the precision of vector paths. As you draw on your image, Photoshop automatically places anchor points along your stroke, converting your natural movement into a clean, editable path.

This tool is ideal for quickly tracing organic shapes, hand-drawn lines, or complex curves where placing individual anchor points with the standard Pen Tool would be time-consuming. It works especially well with a graphics tablet.

Where to Find It

The Freeform Pen Tool is nested under the Pen Tool in the toolbar. Click and hold the Pen Tool icon to reveal the flyout menu, then select Freeform Pen Tool. Press Shift+P to cycle through the Pen Tool group.

How to Use

• Draw freehand: Click and drag to draw a path freehand, just like using a pencil on paper. Anchor points are placed automatically along the stroke.
• Close the path: Release the mouse near the starting point, or hold Ctrl (Cmd) and click to close with a straight line.
• Adjust path: Switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A) to fine-tune anchor point positions and bezier handles.
• Magnetic option: Check Magnetic in the Options bar to make the path snap to high-contrast edges as you draw.
• Convert to selection: Right-click and choose Make Selection, or press Ctrl+Enter (Cmd+Enter).

Pro Tips

• Enable the Magnetic option in the Options bar to automatically snap the path to object edges — similar to the Magnetic Lasso but creating paths instead of selections.
• Use with a graphics tablet for the most natural drawing experience and smoother path creation.
• After drawing, simplify the path using the Object > Path > Simplify menu to reduce unnecessary anchor points and smooth the curve.