Where is the smart object in a mockup?

In the Layers panel, look for a layer with the small smart-object badge on its thumbnail, usually named something like Your Design, Place Logo Here or Edit Me. Double-click that thumbnail to edit it.

Why didn't my mockup update after I edited the smart object?

Almost always because the edit was saved with Save As instead of plain Save. Save As creates a separate file and breaks the link to the mockup; only overwriting with Ctrl/Cmd+S pushes the change back to the parent document.

Can I put a vector logo into a mockup?

Yes — place it as a vector or smart object inside the mockup's smart object so it stays sharp at any size. The mockup scene itself is a raster photo, but keeping the placed logo vector preserves its edges for large outputs.

How to put your logo in a mockup: a six-step smart-object walkthrough

If you’ve opened a mockup PSD and can’t find where your logo goes, you’re looking for the smart object — the one layer the whole file is built around. Placing artwork into it is the same six steps every time. Do them in order and the design lands on the surface at the right scale, perspective and lighting; skip step 4 and you quietly break the file.

1. Find the smart object

Open the mockup in Photoshop and look in the Layers panel for a layer carrying the smart-object badge (a small page icon on the thumbnail), usually named something like “Your Design”, “Place Logo Here” or “Edit Me”. That single layer is where your artwork lives; everything above it (shadows, highlights, a displacement map) is what makes it look real.

2. Double-click to open it

Double-click the smart object’s thumbnail (not its name). It opens in its own document — often a .psb — sized to the print area, frequently with guides marking the safe zone. This is the canvas you replace.

3. Place your artwork

Use File ▸ Place Embedded (or paste) to drop your logo in, then scale and centre it to the guides. Where the source allows, keep it as a vector smart object so it stays crisp at any output size. If the area is an irregular shape, a clipping mask keeps your artwork neatly inside it.

4. Save — do not “Save As”

Press ⌘/Ctrl + S (File ▸ Save) and close the document.

5. Let the mockup update

Switch back to the mockup tab; your design is now on the surface. Confirm the displacement and lighting/shadow layers above the smart object are still switched on — they’re the difference between a printed look and a sticker (the full set of fixes is in why your mockup looks fake).

6. Export at the right resolution

Use File ▸ Export As (PNG or JPG) and check you have enough pixels at the final physical size — 300 PPI for print. A gorgeous composite exported too small still looks soft; see resolution for the numbers.

Why this is worth getting right

A mockup whose smart object is mislabelled, transforms unpredictably, or loses its displacement on update is a mockup that fights you on every project. Smart-object reliability is one of the things TheLayer checks when it reviews a mockup — because “premium” previews hide exactly these problems.

FAQ

Where is the smart object in a mockup?: In the Layers panel, look for a layer with the small smart-object badge on its thumbnail, usually named something like Your Design, Place Logo Here or Edit Me. Double-click that thumbnail to edit it.
Why didn't my mockup update after I edited the smart object?: Almost always because the edit was saved with Save As instead of plain Save. Save As creates a separate file and breaks the link to the mockup; only overwriting with Ctrl/Cmd+S pushes the change back to the parent document.
Can I put a vector logo into a mockup?: Yes — place it as a vector or smart object inside the mockup's smart object so it stays sharp at any size. The mockup scene itself is a raster photo, but keeping the placed logo vector preserves its edges for large outputs.