Quick Tips

Fixing The “Rounded Corners” Selection Problem

Ever have this happen? You draw a selection with the Rectangular Marquee tool (M) and the corners of your selection are rounded, rather than nice and straight? This happens to a lot of people, especially if they've been drinking. If you haven't been drinking but you're suffering from rounded-corner selections, look up in the Options Bar, and you'll see a field for Feather. Chances are there's some number other than zero in this field, and what's happening is every time you draw a selection with that tool, it's automatically feathering (softening) the edge. What probably happened is you intentionally (or accidentally) added a feather amount at some time, then later forgot to set it back to its default of zero. So to fix it, just highlight the field and type 0 (zero). Incidentally, this is a great Photoshop prank to play on co-workers, friends, soon-to-be-enemies, etc., because the Feather field is usually the last place they'll look.

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12 comments

  1. Charles Krause 14 June, 2009 at 20:06 Reply

    Just a note to say I learn a lot from this website and think it’s well organized, thorough and one of the best I’ve found. Keep it going please and thanks a lot for all you do.
    Charles Krause

  2. Lisa 6 October, 2009 at 14:29 Reply

    I am new to PS. Could you specify where to find the filed for Feather? I am experiencing this problem. Thank you.

  3. VictorQ 7 March, 2011 at 23:54 Reply

    I am running on Windows, I am not location the Options Bar. When I got to make a rectangle the edges are rounded. The Refine Edges tab appears but when I click on it the Fethearing is already set to 0.

  4. marianney 18 April, 2011 at 16:30 Reply

    OMG thank you thank you thank you. This has been driving me nuts! I just installed CS5 and haven’t used the feathering at all, so I’m not sure how the heck that happened, but the zero fixed it. phew!

  5. Johan 15 November, 2011 at 02:50 Reply

    Thanks! 😀
    I said a lot of bad words about photoshot Marquee, but i must be drunk then because now it works fine after your guide!

    Johan/Sweden

  6. Laura 20 August, 2012 at 22:48 Reply

    I’m having the same problem and when I shift+right click, it won’t allow me to set the feather to any number less than .2??? I’m still getting rounded rectangles 🙁

  7. Laura 20 August, 2012 at 22:53 Reply

    Ignore my comment, I failed to follow directions the first time. If I change the feathering in the options bar like instructed, it works. Thanks!

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