P: Photoshop v27.10 UI, Canvas and screen Flickering

Update: Photoshop 27.11 — Possible Solution to the Flickering Issue

After experiencing persistent screen flickering across Photoshop 2025, Photoshop 2026, and Photoshop 28 Beta, I decided to try something different.

I installed Photoshop 27.11 and completely reset its preferences rather than importing settings from previous versions.

Before doing so, I backed up my existing Photoshop 2026 Settings folder, then renamed the original folder so Photoshop would create an entirely new set of preferences when launched.

I am now running Photoshop 27.11 with fresh preferences, GPU acceleration enabled, and my usual hardware-calibrated BenQ SW272Q monitor. macOS HDR remains disabled.

So far, the flickering has not returned.

Previously, the problem would gradually develop during extended editing sessions, eventually producing sudden, bright flashes across the entire image.

I have been working in Photoshop since resetting the preferences, and everything appears stable at the moment.

It is too early to say whether this is a permanent solution, but the results are encouraging.

For anyone experiencing similar problems, resetting Photoshop's preferences completely—not simply reinstalling the application—might be worth trying.

I'll report back if the flickering returns.

Hi there,

A lot of problems on MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) and Windows PC with version 27.10, and 27.11 updates.

So I returned to 26.9 version. This morning, I decided to completely uninstall Photoshop, restart my 2 machines, and then reinstall version 27.11 directly, and my problems seem to be resolved.

I tested almost every available version and the flickering always comes back after a while. Drives me crazy

Problems on Mac and Windows – still not resolve !
Stop telling people to disable the GPU! Photoshop needs it for lots of features, which are then greyed out, so no, and definitely no!
The only truly effective solution is to return to a previous version.
Now, after weeks of bugs, I’d like to know when we’ll get a proper fix!

I have now installed and tested Photoshop 28.0.1 Beta on my Apple M3 Max with a BenQ SW272Q monitor, hoping that the reported display fixes would finally resolve the flickering issue.

Unfortunately, the original problem persists.

Initially, Photoshop 28 appeared to work perfectly. However, after an extended editing session, the entire image began flickering again. The flickering consists of sudden, bright flashes across the canvas, almost like a camera flash going off in front of your face. It is extremely unpleasant and makes prolonged editing difficult.

Interestingly, Photoshop 28 initially introduced another problem: the tool cursors flickered whenever I moved them over the image, particularly when working on Curves adjustment layer masks. Temporarily disabling and re-enabling each mask stopped that behavior. The cursor flickering has since disappeared, but the original full-image flashing has returned.

I have now experienced the same underlying image-flickering problem in three different Photoshop versions:

• Photoshop 2025 (26.11.8): Less severe, but still present.

• Photoshop 2026 (27.x): Significantly more pronounced.

• Photoshop 28 Beta (28.0.1): Initially stable, but the flashing returns after prolonged use.

Disabling GPU acceleration eliminates the flickering completely, but Photoshop becomes unacceptably slow for my workflow. Disabling GPU compositing does not resolve the problem.

My BenQ SW272Q is hardware-calibrated, running at 60 Hz, with macOS HDR disabled. I have not experienced comparable flickering in any other application.

Given that numerous other users have reported similar issues, and that Adobe has acknowledged a related flickering problem, I believe this deserves further investigation by the engineering team.

Photoshop is essential to my professional photographic work, and these sudden flashes make it increasingly difficult to use comfortably.

I hope this additional information helps identify and resolve the underlying issue.

Anyone know if 27.11 has addressed this problem or if it’s still there?

Ok, I’ve tried 27.11 since it was available in CCD, and I’m currently not seeing the flashing that was prevalent in 27.10.  I’ll update this if it begins to happen again with this version but so far so good.

I’m not sure why our former discussions on this were deleted and now resolve to 404 pages.  Maybe they were merged with this bug topic.   

I am not a technician but from what you have described, i’m more inclined to think you might have a defective GPU. This might be an issue to take up with Apple. Probably not what you wanted to hear but only suggestion I can offer.

Thank you for the suggestions and for sharing your experiences.

I tested enabling HDR at the macOS level on my BenQ SW272Q. Unfortunately, it dramatically alters the colors and contrast of my images, making them appear washed out. As a professional photographer working with a calibrated Adobe RGB monitor, accurate color reproduction is essential, so leaving HDR enabled is not a viable workaround.

I should also mention that the flickering does not start immediately. It develops after working in Photoshop for some time and gradually becomes worse. Therefore, I cannot yet confirm whether enabling HDR actually eliminates the flickering.

Disabling GPU acceleration completely eliminates the problem, but significantly reduces Photoshop's performance. Photoshop 26.11.8 also flickers considerably less than version 27.x, although the problem remains.

It's encouraging to hear that Photoshop 28 Beta has resolved the issue for some users, although apparently not for everyone.

I hope Adobe can investigate this further and provide a solution that preserves both GPU acceleration and accurate color reproduction.

I'm a professional photographer, and persistent screen flickering in Photoshop is seriously interfering with my work.

System configuration:

• Apple Mac with M3 Max processor

• macOS Tahoe 26.7.1

• BenQ SW272Q professional photography monitor

• Monitor connected directly to the Mac via USB-C

• Refresh rate: 60 Hz

• HDR disabled

• Photoshop 2026 (version 27.x)

• Photoshop 2025 (version 26.11.8)

Description of the problem:

While working in Photoshop, I experience intermittent screen/canvas flickering. This problem occurs only in Photoshop. Other applications work normally on the same monitor.

The flickering is significantly worse in Photoshop 2026 (version 27.x). I installed Photoshop 2025 (version 26.11.8) to see whether an earlier version would solve the problem. Although the flickering is considerably reduced, it has not disappeared.

Troubleshooting performed:

1. Disabled Photoshop's GPU acceleration. This eliminates the flickering completely, but Photoshop becomes noticeably slower.

2. Re-enabled GPU acceleration to restore normal performance. The flickering returns.

3. Tested different Photoshop versions. Version 27.x flickers significantly more than version 26.11.8.

4. Confirmed the BenQ monitor is operating at 60 Hz with HDR disabled.

5. Confirmed the problem does not occur in other applications.

6. Confirmed that the monitor is connected directly via USB-C, without a docking station.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open Photoshop with GPU acceleration enabled.

2. Open an image and work on the canvas.

3. Intermittent flickering occurs during normal editing.

Expected behavior:

Photoshop should display images without flickering while GPU acceleration remains enabled.

Actual behavior:

The screen/canvas flickers intermittently. Disabling GPU acceleration stops the problem but reduces performance.

Request to Adobe:

Given that the severity varies significantly between Photoshop versions, and that disabling GPU acceleration eliminates the problem, I suspect a compatibility issue involving Photoshop's GPU rendering and macOS on Apple silicon.

Could the Photoshop engineering team investigate this issue and provide a fix that allows GPU acceleration to remain enabled?

This is a serious disruption to my professional photographic workflow.

version 28 beta seems to resolve this for me, as well as all previous colour and contrast shifts - but not on PS stable build.  For that my post below does work for me at least, which is turning on HDR at OS level, this stops all flickering and shifts.  With 28 beta, i dont need it to be switched on at OS level