Puppet Warp does not work on Smart Objects in Photoshop because they protect original data, so to use it, you must either rasterize the layer, duplicate and rasterize a copy, edit the Smart Object’s contents directly, or use alternatives like Liquify or Free Transform with warp mode, ensuring non-destructive editing is preserved when needed.

If you're trying to use Puppet Warp in Photoshop and it's not working on a Smart Object, you're not alone — this is a common limitation that trips up many users. Here's what's happening and how to fix it.

Why Puppet Warp Is Grayed Out on Smart Objects

Puppet Warp cannot be applied directly to Smart Objects.
Photoshop disables the Puppet Warp tool (Edit > Puppet Warp) when the selected layer is a Smart Object. This is by design — Smart Objects preserve source content and allow non-destructive editing, but they restrict certain pixel-level manipulations like Puppet Warp until they're rasterized or converted back to regular layers.

How to Use Puppet Warp on a Smart Object

You have a few options to work around this:

• Convert the Smart Object to a regular layer
  Right-click the Smart Object layer > Rasterize Layer.
  After rasterizing, go to Edit > Puppet Warp and it will be available.
  ?? Warning: This removes non-destructive editing capabilities. Any transformations or edits become permanent to that layer.

• Duplicate and rasterize a copy
  Keep your original Smart Object intact for flexibility:

  • Duplicate the Smart Object layer (Ctrl J / Cmd J)
  • Right-click the duplicate > Rasterize Layer
  • Apply Puppet Warp to the rasterized copy
    This way, you can toggle visibility between the original and warped version.

• Edit the Smart Object's contents
  If the content inside the Smart Object is something you want to warp (like a logo or illustration):

  • Double-click the Smart Object thumbnail to open it in a new window
  • Apply Puppet Warp there (if the internal layer isn’t also a Smart Object)
  • Save and close — the changes will reflect in the main document
    Note: This only works if the internal document allows Puppet Warp.

Alternative: Use Liquify or Free Transform

If you need warping but want to keep the Smart Object intact:

• Try Filter > Liquify — this works on Smart Objects (especially in newer Photoshop versions with Smart Filters)
• Use Edit > Free Transform (Ctrl T) with warp modes (right-click during transform and choose "Warp") — this does work on Smart Objects and gives some similar control, though less precise than Puppet Warp

Quick Checklist

• ? Is the layer a Smart Object? → Puppet Warp disabled
• ? Did you rasterize it? → Puppet Warp becomes available
• ? Want to preserve editability? → Duplicate and rasterize a copy, or use Smart Filters
• ? Need subtle warping? → Try the Warp mode in Free Transform

Bottom line: Puppet Warp doesn’t work on Smart Objects because they’re designed to protect original data. To use Puppet Warp, you’ll need to rasterize the layer — just make sure you keep a backup of the Smart Object if you might need to edit it later.

Basically, it’s not a bug — it’s a limitation of how Smart Objects function. Plan accordingly.

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