Photoshop actions are a great way to use Photoshop without knowing how. We hand-picked over 10 of the best free actions that you must try. These Photoshop actions will save you time and let you do amazing things with just one click.

The Actions

There are a lot of fantastic retouching techniques and effects you can learn but a lot of times, it's just too much work. This is where Photoshop actions come in handy. They enable you to retouch your photos without spending an hour learning. You can apply film looks, airbrush skin, add light leaks, and more in less than a minute.

When we were doing our research for this list, we noticed that a lot of Photoshop actions merged your layers so that you can't undo it. If you didn't save your file ahead of time, then you're pretty much screwed. This is completely unnecessary and most actions were excluded for that. With that said, you can be sure that the actions listed below are the best-quality actions that will leave your layers alone.

If you've never used Photoshop actions before, check out our guide on how to use Photoshop actions.

69 Actions by lieveheersbeestje

Believe it or not, this huge pack of vintage-style actions is completely free. And being free doesn't mean they're bad. These are actually top-notch quality actions that uses nondestructive techniques and they're better than many other paid Photoshop actions.

7 Real Film Emulations by SparkleStock

Want to simulate real camera films such as the Fujifilm Provia and Superia? Then these actions are for you. They are the only Photoshop actions that can emulate film correctly and the results are comparable to expensive alternatives such as Color Efex Pro and VSCO Films. And to add to the realism, they include film grains created from photographic scans.

10 Instagram Effects by SparkleStock

It's hard to believe, but these actions are the worlds most accurate Instagram effects and they even beat other expensive Lightroom presets. The effects are identical to the real Instagram app. They even have the Instagram video effects and a Lightroom version.

10 Retro Filters by Spoon Graphics

If the above actions aren't enough for you, then you should try these retro filters by Spoon Graphics. They're very high quality actions that uses minimal layers and are a fun addition to your collection.