How to Apply and Copy Layer Styles in Adobe Photoshop

Layer styles, such as drop shadows, glows and overlays, are effects that can be used and combined to create visual interest in a composition. Once a layer style has been created, it can quickly be applied to other layers within the same file or copied to a different file.

1. Styles are added to a layer through the Layer Styles menu in the Layers panel.
2. In this composition, three layer styles have been combined and applied to the top thumbnail layer.
3. To apply the same combination of effects to the other thumbnail layers, hover over the fx icon to the right of the layer, hold down the Alt (PC) / Option (Mac) key, then click and hold on fx and drag the icon onto another layer.
4. In essence, what you're doing is "cloning" the combination of effects. Here, it's been applied to all five thumbnail layers.
5. To apply the layer style to a layer in another file, go to the Layers panel, right-click (PC) / Control-click (Mac) on a layer's fx button, and choose Copy Layer Style.
6. Go to the other file, and in the Layers panel, right-click (PC) / Control-click (Mac) on a layer and select Paste Layer Style.