Photoshop is one of the most popular image manipulation programs available for creative professionals and is a part of the larger Adobe Suite of creative programs. The program features every tool you need to edit and manipulate your images to look a certain way.
That said, many tools often confuse newcomers to the program, who initially find it rather intimidating to use. This article discusses canvas size in Photoshop, what it is, and how you can change it to suit your needs.
Also read: What causes error 205 in Lightroom and Photoshop? 5 Fixes
What is canvas size in Photoshop?
Simply put, canvas size is the empty white space you see when you fire up Photoshop. By default, this is 1280 x 720 or whatever template you select. You can also change this default to whatever resolution you like.
It’s important to note that canvas size isn’t necessarily the same thing as image size. When you open an image in Photoshop, it’s loaded on top of the background canvas by default. Since Photoshop uses layers, this helps people keep edits separate and go back and forth without ruining their images in case they make a mistake.

Image size refers to the resolution of the particular image you’ve selected. On the other hand, canvas size determines the resolution of the entire background canvas. They work similarly but control two entirely different things. There can be more than one image on a canvas, but one Photoshop document will only have one canvas unless you’re working with artboards.
Also read: Why is Duotone greyed out in Photoshop?
How to change the canvas size in Photoshop?
Follow these steps to change the canvas size in Photoshop.
Step 1: Open your Photoshop document, head over to Image followed by Canvas Size.

Step 2: The Canvas Size window will open with options to set the new caption size as well as the extension colour. Make the required changes and click OK when you’re done.

The canvas will now resize to your specified dimensions.
Also read: How to change the language in Pinterest?