Member Avatar for caty

Ok, I didn't know where I should put this so I put it here. :mrgreen:
Well, I have Adobe Photoshop, and for some reason (this has happened before) it doesn't let me type text onto the picture. I type, and say the size is 72, it is very tiny and hard to see. It is so stubborn! Please help. :-|

Edited:

I also checked Photoshop Help Files, and it said:

Text layer is not created for images in Multichannel, Bitmap, or Indexed Color mode, because these modes do not support layers. In these image modes, type appears on the background

BUT my image is RGB color, and it is saved as a JPG. However, the original image was a BMP, but I re-saved it as a JPG, so I think it SHOULD let me... I am just confused..

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by carlyse_09

Dani AI

Generated

Several plausible causes have already been suggested here — flagged a document/size issue and / noted a pixel-aspect problem — but the root is usually how Photoshop interprets the numeric value in the Type size box (points vs pixels) and whether any layer/document transforms or masks are affecting the visible result.

Photoshop treats points as a physical unit (1 pt = 1/72 inch). When Type units are points the on‑screen pixel height is computed from the document resolution: pixel_height = point_size * (document_resolution / 72). If Type units are pixels, the number is literal pixels. That arithmetic explains why “72” can look tiny in one document and large in another (different PPI, huge pixel dimensions, or different zoom).

Checklist to isolate the cause:

  • Verify Type units (Edit → Preferences → Units & Rulers) and confirm the unit shown in Window → Character.
  • Open Window → Character: ensure Horizontal/Vertical Scale = 100%, Baseline Shift = 0, Leading = Auto, Tracking = 0 and that the size field shows the expected unit.
  • Check View zoom (Ctrl+0 to fit, Ctrl+1 = 100%) — zoom level can make text appear misleadingly small.
  • Create a fresh test document (for example 800×600 @72 ppi) and place 72‑pt text with a common font (Arial/Times). A correct result there narrows the problem to document-specific settings.
  • Inspect the text layer for transforms/masks/clipping groups, non‑Normal blending mode, or reduced opacity; reset any Free Transform scale to 100%.
  • Swap to a different, known-good font to rule out corrupted font metrics.
  • If the UI behaves unusually, resetting Photoshop preferences (hold Ctrl+Alt+Shift on launch) can clear corrupted settings — this will remove custom prefs.

Since and solved similar symptoms by addressing pixel-aspect settings, check Image → Pixel Aspect Ratio if characters look squashed or oddly proportioned. If the new test document shows correct text but the original does not, the issue is almost always a document-level setting (units, transforms, masks, non‑square pixels, or a bad font), not a Photoshop bug.

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Member Avatar for roryt

Ok. If you say you can type onto the image but your text comes out small at 72pt this is probably because you have the resolution of the image set to high. Unless you are using the image to be printed the resolution should be about 72dpi. You should also save you image as a PSD file before editing it and then save for web. Create a new layer for text and make sure you don't have a strange font selected.

Hope this helps.

Member Avatar for nkessler

The problem is not the resolution of the image. I have the exact same software (Adobe 7.0) installed on XP and it works fine. Does anyone have an idea as to what's going on in Vista with this and what can be done to fix it?

Neil

Member Avatar for hughv

I think roryt is on the right track.
Look under image and tell us the resolution and size.

Member Avatar for IndyOnline

You need to reset the pixel aspect ratio under images. That will fix it. I have been looking everywhere for this cause I had the same problem so I just started clicking away on stuff in PS settings and resetting the pixel aspect ratio fixed it.

Good luck. I hope this helps.

Member Avatar for carlyse_09

The pixel aspect ratio is the answer.I'm done with it and my problem was fix.try and hopefully it will resolve your problem as well.

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