Optimize screen

By default, PhotoLab’s Customize tab interface takes up a large part of the image display area. You can recover some of that space.            

It is not always necessary to display the left pane.
– Click on the cross title of all palettes to close them OR
– Collapse the panel by clicking on the chevron
Palettes remain accessible through the Palettes menu

Similarly, the feature highlights can be disabled.
– menu Help / Show feature highlights to hide and redisplay them

The “Metadata” palette can be replaced by the properties window
– Menu: (Windows only) Image – Image properties (Ctrl+ I)

On the other hand, the “Basic tools” palette, which contains the most frequently used tools, can be expanded permanently (illustration).
– Menu: workspace – DxO Standard
– Double click on the palette title to expand /collapse it
– Menu: Workspace – Save  workspace

This palette is very useful for beginners in photo development. It is then can be replaced by the SmartPalette described in the following article.


DxO made a mistake by positioning the Smart Lighting after the Selective Tone correction.Drag and drop it by its title one step higher.


Optimize the editing window by hiding the image explorer.
Minimize the Image Explorer by dragging the top bar OR
– Type Ctrl+ F9 to hide it
– Move to the next image by pressing the > key


Click to enlarge – Alt+ < to return

The following keyboard toggles are useful.
– menu: View – Maximise Screen (Windows: F12) Useful  on a low resolution screen
– menu: View – Show / Hide all palettes (F9) / TAB)
– menu: View – Show / Hide Image Browser (Ctrl+ F9 /

No menu on MacOS but the combination Shift+ TAB)
Toggle between PhotoLibrary and Customize modes (Ctrl+Tab)
Double click on thumbnail In PhotoLibrary  to switch to Customize mode


Double Screens

With two screens, the use of PhotoLab becomes more flexible by reserving one screen for palettes.
– menu: View – Undock Image Browser (Ctrl+ U /Cmd+ U) to detach / dock the Image Browser from the main window
– Drag the palettes by Clicking+ Dragging from the title to make them floating
– Menu: Workspace  / Save  workspace

All keyboard shortcuts are listed in the PhotoLab Help menu
– menu: Help / Shortcuts


Click to enlarge – Alt+ < to return

Click to enlarge – Alt+ < to return

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