Skip to main content
Inspiring
July 16, 2026

Frequent crashes in Adobe Camera Raw (Mac version 18.4.1.2647)

Products: Photoshop 27.8.0, Bridge 16.0.5, Adobe Camera Raw 18.4.1.2647

Hardware: Mac Mini M4 Pro with 24 GB, Apple Studio Display XDR

OS: macOS “Tahoe” 26.5.2

Symptoms: Frequent kernel panics while editing RAW files from Nikon Z8 and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Sometimes I can work through several files without trouble. Then I load a new file in ACR, make some adjustments, and it crashes. This has happened when touching several different sliders and controls. There is no obvious or repeatable pattern to the panics. I am mostly editing in HDR mode, with working space HDR P3 or Rec. 2020. These are not complex edits - usually just a few moves for exposure, shadows, clarity, cropping, etc.

Files are located in local storage (internal SSD of Mac), or external storage (Crucial x9 Pro SSD).

Files are opened via Bridge, or directly from Finder.

I have tried disabling GPU, purging cache, restarting the Mac, reinstalling Photoshop.

Attached is a crash dump. 

    返信数 1

    Inspiring
    July 17, 2026

    I may have found the cause for the kernel panics. When I searched google with the text at the top of the crash dump, I was led to this posting on the Apple forums:

    Kernel panic Studio Display XDR + M2 Max MacBook Pro at 5K@120Hz (DCPEXT1 dual_pipe.c:180 sync_pipe_end_of_config)

    The author suggested a workaround: changing refresh rate from ProMotion to 60Hz. I did that, and have not seen a panic since then. So, it appears that, for certain configurations (possibly including Studio Display XDR running with ProMotion) the Adobe/Apple display pipeline is marginally unstable.