How to load custom shapes in Photoshop (CSH file)?

Photoshop is a great tool to play around with for photo-editing as well as for graphic designing. And yes, we can create our own custom shapes in Photoshop too. But I am too lazy to make one myself or to make a tutorial for you to follow. And besides, there are others who provide these stuffs for FREE. So why take the pain, right? Unless you are making a special one that you can’t find online then go ahead, make one yourself. So, in this post we shall see how to load custom shapes in Photoshop (CSH file).

For those who are lazy, plus the shapes you are looking for is available online for FREE, then follow me. Let’s see how to load those free custom shapes onto Photoshop so we can start using them.

How to load custom shapes in Photoshop?

Well, first get the custom shapes. Generally, what you need may be easily found for free online. Do a Google search “Free Custom Shapes Photoshop download” or something like that and your will get links. Or Check out these:

• http://photoshop.cc/custom-shapes
• http://www.shapes4free.com/

You will get links to download the files. Usually, they will be zipped (.zip) file. Use WinZip or 7z (free) to unzip the file.

Loading the custom shapes in Photoshop:

There are two ways to load custom shapes. Basically, both uses the Preset Manager

FIRST METHOD: Load Shapes through Preset Manager

• Open Photoshop
• Photoshop > Edit > Preset Manager

• From the Preset Manager, select “Custom Shapes” from the drop down menu
• Click on the “LOAD” button on the right
• Browse and locate the "custom shape file (.csh). You should be able to see the shapes you have selected to load.

• Once loaded, click “DONE”
• Go back to Photoshop main window, and click on "custom shape tool" from the left toolbar

• From the top, select shapes and find the imported shapes to use

SECOND METHOD: Load Shapes through Custom Shape Tool

• Select the Custom Shape Tool (U key) from the Toolbar.

• You might not see it straight away on the Toolbar as other shape tools may have been selected earlier (Rectangle Tool, Ellipse Tool, or others). Right-click on the shapes tool on the left toolbar, and select Custom Shape Tool .

• From the options bar on top, click the little down arrow and then the right-pointing arrow.
• Click on "Load Shapes" or "Replace Shapes"
• Load Shapes: Loads shapes from CSH file and appends to existing shapes loaded
• Replace Shapes: Loads shapes from CSH file by replacing other shapes loaded in custom shapes tool 

• Browse and locate the "custom shape file (.csh). You should be able to see the shapes you have selected to load.
• Once loaded, click “DONE”
• Go back to Photoshop main window, click custom shape tool. 
• From the top, select shapes and find the imported shapes to use 

Now that you have loaded custom shapes, use them at will. If the shapes you want are available online, why take the pain in creating them yourself. Besides, freebies are good. Great.


Just being thankful to people who loves sharing stuffs, be it info or freeware or any thing else!

Cheers!