Using the tool pointers
When you select most tools, the pointer matches the tool's icon. The marquee pointer appears by default as cross hairs 
, the text tool pointer appears as an I-beam 
, and painting tools default to the Brush Size icon.
Each default pointer has a different hotspot, where an effect or action in the image begins. With most tools, you can switch to precise cursors, which appear as cross hairs centered around the hotspot.
To set tool pointer appearance:
- Do one of the following:
- (Photoshop) In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Display & Cursors.
- (Photoshop) In Mac OS, choose Photoshop > Preferences > Display & Cursors.
- (ImageReady) In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Cursors.
- (ImageReady) In Mac OS, choose ImageReady > Preferences > Cursors.
- Choose a tool pointer setting in the Preferences screen:
- Click Standard under Painting Cursors, Other Cursors, or both to display pointers as tool icons.
- Click Precise under Painting Cursors, Other Cursors, or both to display pointers as cross hairs.
- Click Brush Size under Painting Cursors to display the painting tool cursors as brush shapes representing the size of the current brush. Brush Size cursors may not display for very large brushes.
- Click OK.
- (Photoshop) Eraser, Pencil, Paintbrush, Healing Brush, Rubber Stamp, Pattern Stamp, Smudge, Blur, Sharpen, Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools
- (ImageReady) Paintbrush, Pencil, and Eraser tools
- (Photoshop) Marquee, Lasso, Polygonal Lasso, Magic Wand, Crop, Slice, Patch, Eyedropper, Pen, Gradient, Line, Paint Bucket, Magnetic Lasso, Magnetic Pen, Freeform Pen, Measure, and Color Sampler tools
- (ImageReady) Marquee, Lasso, Magic Wand, Eyedropper, Paint Bucket, and Slice tools
The Painting Cursors options control the pointers for the following tools:
The Other Cursors options control the pointers for the following tools:
To toggle between standard and precise cursors in some tool pointers, press Caps Lock. Press Caps Lock again to return to your original setting.