How to Solve the Error ‘Could not complete your request because the smart object is not directly editable’

Introduction to layers and Smart Objects

A layer in Photoshop, as the name suggests is a file that you can stack one on top of the other. A new image has only one layer. But when you add more layers on top of this original image, you can add more data or just use them for color or tone adjustments. Thus, by using layers you can alter an image to your liking, without editing the original pixels.

Smart objects on the other hand are a special type of layer that contains image data. They are designed to contain all original characteristics of the layer and also give you the freedom to perform a thorough non-destructive editing of the layer.

Solution to fix the error ‘Could not complete your request because the smart object is not directly editable’

But editing a Smart Object is not very straightforward and some users have complained about the following error when trying to edit a Smart Object.

‘Could not complete your request because the smart object is not directly editable’.

Solution 1: Convert Smart Object to a normal layer

The error ‘Smart Object is not directly editable’ occurs mainly because a smart object contains data in a non-destructive container file. And because of this, you are not allowed to edit this smart object file directly.

A workaround to this problem is to convert the Smart Object to a normal layer. To do that, first select the Smart Object you want to edit from the Layers panel and follow one of these methods.

1. In the Layers panel, double click on the Smart Objects icon
2. The second option is to convert the Smart Object to a raster layer. To do so, go to Layer > Simplify Layer
3. Go to Layer > Smart Objects > Edit Contents
4. Go to Properties and select Edit Contents

By following one of the above methods, you can convert the Smart Object to a normal layer, which you should be able to edit easily.

Solution 2: Unlock the image layer

In most cases, converting the Smart Object to a normal layer (as explained in Solution 1) should resolve the error ‘Smart Object is not directly editable’. However, if that doesn’t help, it could be because the image is locked.

To unlock the image, please follow the instructions below.

1. Open the Smart Object you want to edit
2. Go to Layers and click on the Lock icon

Once the image is unlocked, you should be able to edit the contents without any errors.

Conclusion

Adding layers will help you alter the image without modifying original pixels. This helps avoid damage to the original image in most cases. However, there are some instances that cause your PSD file to get damaged or corrupt such as Photoshop hanging when working on an image or Photoshop malfunction, etc.

In such cases, Remo Repair will repair corrupt PSD files on your Mac or Windows. It repairs your image using a read-only mechanism, so all layers of the image file are recovered without any changes. If you have a corrupt PSD image that needs to be repaired, check out Remo Repair PSD and give it a try.