Masking in ON1 Photo RAW 2026 – Recorded Webinar
- ON1 Photo RAW
- 52:55
- Intermediate / Advanced
Masking just got a major upgrade in Photo RAW 2026, and this webinar will show you how to make the most of it. From one-click subject and background selections to powerful new depth masks and the all-new Masking Layers, you’ll see how easy it is to target the areas you want and protect the ones you don’t. We’ll keep it fun with practical tips and creative examples, so you’ll walk away ready to add drama, detail, and polish to your photos like never before.
App & Feature
Skill Level
26 Comments
robmorford1@gmail.comNovember 11, 2025
Hey Dylan
just finished watching this webinar, the question I have for you. say for example you have for layer masks and your finished editing your picture. Since I’m a former Lightroom & Photoshop user you use to had flatten the image or merge the layers together when you were finished in Lightroom & Photoshop do you have to do that On1 Photo Raw 2026 when exporting the picture back to its original file where it came from?
thanks
Rob M
Mark DrudgeNovember 12, 2025
Rob,
If you open a RAW file from BROWSE into EDIT, make adjustments, create layers, etc. and then click the button/check to save it, it goes back to browse with all edits settings and layers, and the file extension changed to (filename).on1photo.
If you right-click on the file in browse and choose to export as jpg, tiff, etc, it will export the edited version with all of your layers and edits included, that were visible at the time it was saved.
Hope that helps!
Bengt HåkanssonNovember 12, 2025
If you want to paint in an effect you have to click
add filter.
click apply to nothing
chose the filter
you got a black mask to add a mask
ON1 CustomerNovember 12, 2025
No wonder there are so many masking videos. I guess I’m not the only one finding the masking interface very confusing.
Robin HattonNovember 12, 2025
Show us how to remove the background and add a new layer.
Every year you guys rearrange the UI and we have to relearn where you hid everything.
ON1 CustomerNovember 12, 2025
try this with the CAR image from the video:
when you enter the EDIT mode, click on MASKING (where you see ‘blending, masking, text’)
then choose BACKGROUND
(the background will disappear) (use O to view the mask to tweak it)
NOTE: use a MASKING BRUSH to clean up the mask if needed.
Now click on the LAYERS panel, to expand it. {you can see “develop, local, effects..etc” just below the word:layers. so you are in the right place}.
Now, click on the + sign (‘add layer’ is displayed)
you can now choose an image to create on that new layer.
in that LAYERS expanded panel, you will see two layers, the new layer with the new image on the top. the car is at the botton layer.
Now, drag the bottom layer (with the car) over the top layer.
Your car will now be superimposed onto the image you brought in.
CONFUSING EH ? lol.. i hope i explained it right.
David PriceNovember 12, 2025
Thanks Dylan, for these sorts of videos. As I am beginnig to understand the changes that ON1 has made to the UI. The new UI has possibilities and seems to be qute powerful.
David PriceNovember 12, 2025
PS I missed the live edit, because having started my working day at 5.30 am, I didn’t have the stamina to stay up until almost midnight. But well done on moving start times, because you now have a worldwide audience. Besides we can always watched the recordign, when it suits us 🙂
Jerry ClarkNovember 12, 2025
I found this presentation not up to your usual standards. I came out of it with as many questions that I had going in.
Stephen MorleyNovember 12, 2025
Missed the webinar and but watched the replay … or what there was of it. Been an ON1 user from the start and with each new yearly release I spend an inordinate amount of time relearning the UI. This is my number one peeve with ON1.
Suggest a part 2 where some the questions of this webinar are re-answered and the
more detail is given in mask modification and the tools involved … I find in most webinars the masks are glossed over and not very precise. On the lion, adding a temporary colored layer underneath would show the accuracy of the mask and indicate areas where more precision is needed.
Richard MarshNovember 13, 2025
The new masking options deserve a short series of 20 minute videos each focussing on a separate aspect. Trying to do an all in one type approach doesn’t work and even Dylan seemed to get lost in the process more than once. I suggest a series of topics as follows;
1. Basic masking in adjustments and effects (without reference to properties and layers).
2. Intermediate masking 1 – adding in masking properties and layers.
3. Intermediate masking 2 – cleaning up mask edges using the various manual tools
4. Advanced masking – complex masks, using multiple layers, intersecting layers.
C MontyJune 29, 2026
+1 Very good suggestion. More individually focused lessons, rather than combining instructions in one lesson, would be very helpful to those of us who aren’t as knowledgeable about applying ON1’s frequent updates. Stephen’s suggestion is also good.
Sometimes it seems there is too much crammed into one lesson, which can be a tad more difficult to follow if the instructor gets lost or has to back-track. On1 does a great job upgrading their program, but the changes in location and added features can be frustrating for those of us who dislike constant changes, even good changes.
ON1 CustomerNovember 13, 2025
an example issue (correct me if wrong)… To make a series of local adjustments on the subject part of the image, , you use the Local Adjustment pane.
BUT
if you want to place an effect on that same subject, you have to go to the other side of the screen and use the Super Select tool.
Israel FalconNovember 13, 2025
I wish there was an easy explanation on how to cut from the photo. In Photoshop you select the area, hit “cut” and you see the empty space on the photo. Simple
Israel FalconNovember 13, 2025
Lets say I have a frame that I want to keep to be reuse with other photos How do you get rid of the photo on it and save the frame for future use?
ON1 CustomerNovember 13, 2025
(copy paste mask): if you add an effect, you should be able to paste your copied mask, right there in that new layer showing on the right panel. you shouldn’t t have to go and do it on the Target Mask. maybe your pasted mask is creating a new layer which will be PART of the target mask.
Allan CruickshanksNovember 13, 2025
What happened to all the questions that were supposed to be answered? The video just stopped suddenly at just short of 53 minutes and no questions were dealt with.
Probably trying to do too much in one video. I liked the suggestion from Richard Marsh to do a series of shorter videos.
Susan StonemanNovember 14, 2025
I was wondering the same thing. Is the rest of the webinar available somewhere?
Agreed with shorter videos.
Dylan, you need someone with you when you host these sessions to handle the chat and the Q&A’s for you. There is a lot of blank time in the recording while you are reading the chat silently and that time could be used to demonstrate another part of what you’re trying to show us. Having a co-moderator keep and eye on those details would allow you to do what you do best, help us learn to use ON1 2026 to its fullest.
David PriceNovember 14, 2025
Agreed, but cutting out inside of Photoshop only feels easy to people who have already got their heads around the PS UI. And it is the same with PR. Once you understand the User Interface, it all becomes easier. (For background I visited a Photo College last week, and wittnessed a student throwing their mouse against a wall, because she was so frustrated with just how difficult the Photoshop AI was. “Nothing, B@@@ Works” unquote. The tutor just sighed and tried again. I didn’t envy him).
ON1 has changed the UI again, and suddenly we are all back in Infants School.
But, once you get why there is a Target Mask, you will realise that it is a significant step forwards. I used PR to cut out a horseshoe sculpture, that was sitting in front of a similar coloured background. The AI had probably never seen anything like it before, and tried, but got it wrong. Being able to create multiple masks, with different tools, allowed me to refine the mask, and to get the image cut out properly.
But I agree that ON1 does need to have lots of small, bite sized videos to explain key points. Having the key points all jumbled together in an hour long video makes it harder to learn.
Although, if Dylan is reading this, I find the autohide on the masking tools bar annoying. Could you refresh the options on how to stop the toolbar vanishing when you are trying to use the tools?
Oleksiy YefremenkoNovember 15, 2025
I would propose to On1 team to combine Local adjustments and Effects in one menu tab. this will simplyfy editing workflow significantly. Because both “Effects” and “Local” in most case needs masks to apply changes selectively. in addition “Effects” already has AI mask selection menu like “Subject” “Background”, “Sky”, etc. Also “Local” tab uses only “Tone Enhancer” only in combination with different masks. Both menu tabs “Local and Effects” has a lot of similarities and combining those two menu tabs will make editing process easier. Choose of specific mask option also different between Local and Effect tab but I would like to see unified masking approach for both menu tabs. Dear photographers please share your opinion what you think about my proposal to combine “Local” and “Effect” tab into one common “adjustments” tab.
Aaron AndersonNovember 16, 2025
At about the 30 minute 30 second mark, you are using the subject and background select with the image of the car. Using that same image on my computer, it reports “Subject not found” or “Background not found” Is there a setting to tell it how to find objects as subjects?
Jean-Benoit DeStaerckeNovember 16, 2025
Really happy with this detailed review of the possibilities with version 2026.
Thank you so much Dylan for taking the time to explain and demonstrate everything so well.
Cynthia ClarkNovember 16, 2025
We are not able to use O on our keyboard to view the mask. Running Windows 11 on standalone On1 2026.
Edwin BarretoJanuary 20, 2026
Finally, after viewing dozens of videos that assume users to have prior knowledge, I am so happy that you took a step-by-step practical approach explaining everything in full detail. Every Youtube expert needs to see your style of teaching and replicate your teaching methods. Thank you. I truly hope either you publish a book, or have a youtube account for OnOne Raw. I would gladly purchase it.
Edwin Barreto
meraj.sami@gmail.comAugust 1, 2026
Where is Part 2 of it that you mentioned at the start of the video?
Tom HarringtonSeptember 14, 2026
Hi, Dylan,
I cannot thank you enough for this one. After nearly 4 years of failed attempts or masks I disliked, or just not using masks due to frustration, I FINALLY UNDERSTANDING MASKING! This video is an absolute gem. Your explanations, examples, and slowing down (sorry!) now make masking easy for me. Now I truly “get it.” Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
Tom
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