Introduction
This online tutorial will guide you through the steps of using Photoshop actions.

Step 1: Download & Unzip Actions
Obviously, the first thing you need to do in order to start using actions, is to find some to use! Download your choice of actions, and then ensure that the file has been uncompressed (or unzipped). Photoshop actions will always have the file extention ".atn". Sometimes after unzipping, you may see two files with this extention. Be sure to load the one without the period preceding the name (otherwise you will encounter a "not compatible with this version of Photoshop" error)!

Step 2: Load the Actions into Photoshop
There are two ways to get the actions into Photoshop: (1) Double-click the .atn file or (2) choose "Load Actions" from the Actions palette within Photoshop. If you double-click the file, a folder containing the actions will be imported and will show up at the bottom of the list in your actions palette.

If you want to load the actions from within Photoshop, make sure your Actions palette is open (it is normally docked with the History palette), click the arrow in the upper right, and choose "Load Actions" from the drop-down menu. From there, simply locate the .atn file and choose "Load". The folder containing the actions now appears in your palette.

If you encounter the "This file is not compatible with this version of Photoshop" error, you need to check on two things: (1) Make sure that you are not trying to load an actions file containing a name beginning with a period (ex: ".PhotoActions.atn"). In this case, there should be another file in the unzipped folder with the same name, but without the preceding period ("PhotoActions.atn). Load this file instead, and you should avoid the error message. (2) Ensure that the action you are using was made for your version or previous versions (example: If you have Photoshop 6, and you're using an action created for CS 2, you'll probably run into some issues!).

Step 3: Choose the Action You Want to Run
With the actions loaded, you then need to open the folder containing the actions, and choose the desired action from the list inside the folder (sometimes there is only one). Expand the folder by clicking on the arrow its left. Then simply select the action you desire from the list.

Step 4: Play the Action and Follow Any On-Screen Instructions
With the desired action selected, simply press the "Play" button at the bottom of the palette. This will start the action. From there all you have to do is follow any on-screen prompts and enjoy the magic!