You upload a mockup template, add your artwork, and the result is wrong. The design covers the whole picture, or the background is black, or there's a grey box over the poster.
Almost every broken template comes down to one of seven problems in the PSD. Each has a clear sign and a quick fix.
1. There's no smart object
Sign: your design fills the whole image. No room, no frame.
A mockup tool replaces the contents of a smart object. If the file has none, it has to guess, and it usually guesses the biggest layer, which is the room photo.
This happens with flattened files, files rebuilt from a JPEG, and some exports from Affinity Photo, where the placeholder layer can be dropped without a warning. Making mockup PSDs in Affinity Photo covers that case.
Fix: draw a rectangle where the artwork goes, convert it to a smart object, and name it "Your Design".
2. The room photo is a smart object too
Sign: your design replaces the room, or appears full size behind the frame.
Some mockup packs save the background photo as a smart object. Now the file has two, and the room photo is bigger, so a tool can pick the wrong one.
Fix: right-click the background and choose Rasterize Layer. Only the artwork slot should be a smart object. If you need the background editable, name the slot clearly so it wins.
3. The placeholder has a vague name
Sign: the wrong layer is replaced, often a frame texture, a mat or a sticker.
Tools look for names like Your Design, Artwork, Poster or Design. A slot called "Layer 4" next to a smart object called "Frame Wood" is a coin toss.
Fix: name the slot "Your Design". Name other layers for what they are: Frame, Shadow, Background. The PSD file setup guide has a full naming scheme.
4. The background comes out black
Sign: the frame and artwork are fine, but everything around them is black.
Two common causes. The file was saved without Maximize Compatibility, so there's no flattened preview for a tool to read. Or a layer comp was active when it was saved, with the room photo hidden.
Fix: in Photoshop, turn on Maximize Compatibility in Preferences > File Handling. Reset layer comps so the room photo is visible, then save again.
5. A grey or white patch covers the design
Sign: the artwork is there, but dull, greyed out or washed out in one area.
Shadow and highlight layers rely on blend modes. Shadows should be Multiply and highlights Screen. If one is set to Normal, which can happen after an export from another app, it sits over your design as a flat patch.
Fix: set each lighting layer's blend mode in the PSD. Keep their opacity under 100% unless the shadow really is that strong.
6. The design is cropped or the wrong shape
Sign: the edges of your poster are cut off, or it's stretched.
The smart object's own canvas is a different shape from the frame opening, or from your artwork. A 3:4 poster in an A-shaped slot has to lose something.
Fix: open the smart object and set its canvas to the shape of the art you sell most. Then check that your artwork matches it. The print size fit checker shows which shape your artwork is and makes bordered or cropped versions for other shapes.
7. The placeholder is hidden
Sign: nothing changes, or the result is just the empty template.
A hidden smart object is easy to miss in a big layer stack. Some tools skip hidden layers, and some exports leave them out.
Fix: make sure the slot and every group it sits in are visible when you save.
Check a template before you rely on it
- Open the PSD in a second app. Photopea is free and runs in the browser.
- Look for exactly one smart object, where the artwork goes, with a clear name.
- Check the background isn't a smart object, and is visible.
- Check shadow and highlight blend modes.
- Do one test render with a bright, simple image. A solid red rectangle shows instantly whether the placement, crop and lighting are right.
Photoshop smart objects explained goes deeper on how the placeholder works, including warped and perspective slots.
The short version
- Design over everything: no smart object.
- Wrong layer replaced: background is a smart object, or the slot has a vague name.
- Black background: Maximize Compatibility off, or a layer comp hiding the room.
- Grey patch: a shadow or highlight on the wrong blend mode.
- Test every new template with a solid colour before you use it on real artwork.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my mockup show only my design and no room?
The PSD has no smart object the tool can find, so it put your design into the biggest layer, which is usually the room photo. This happens with flattened files and with some Affinity Photo exports. Add a smart object where the artwork goes and name it Your Design.
Why is my mockup background black?
Usually the PSD was saved without Maximize Compatibility, or with a layer comp active that hides the room photo. Re-save from Photoshop with Maximize Compatibility on and the room photo visible.
Why is there a grey box over my design?
A shadow or highlight layer has the wrong blend mode. Shadows should be Multiply and highlights Screen. Set to Normal, they sit on top of the artwork as a flat grey or white patch.
Why did the wrong layer get replaced?
The file has more than one smart object and the tool picked another one, often the room photo or a frame texture. Give the artwork slot a clear name such as Your Design or Poster, and name everything else for what it is.