Inspiring

P: PS 27.4 Setting the default in Preferences > Units to "inches" is ignored by Canvas Size

Forum|Forum|2 months ago
February 25, 2026
34 replies
1527 views

Adobe Photoshop Version: 27.4.0 2
Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

When I go to Image → Canvas Size, the default is always pixels. I want it to be inches.

Note: I have checked in preferences, units and measures, and the default is inches. Also when I go to image → Image size, the default is in fact inches, which is what I expect.

Is the default unit for image → canvas size now different? Is there a different place to set it?

thanks

Show previous replies

dmitryb80299766

Participating Frequently

D’oh! LOL that was it!

Claire H.

Community Manager

Hi @dmitryb80299766, I am glad to hear that @gener7 suggestion worked for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions or encounter any issues. Happy editing! ^CH

gener7

Community Expert

Uncheck “Relative” in the Canvas size dialog.

Ctrl or Cmd R to show Rulers, then right or ctrl click on the ruler to set your default measurement units. If you choose inches, Canvas Size shoulld default to inches.

dmitryb80299766

Participating Frequently

Thanks! I did that and Image Size defaults to inches, but Canvas Size remains at Pixels…. 🤷🏻

gener7

Community Expert

Strange. It works in Macos 26.4.1/Ps 27.5

Try manually changing it to inches and see if it stays.

Check under Preferences > Units and Rulers and try restarting Photoshop.

dmitryb80299766

Participating Frequently

Hello all!

For the past version or two Photoshop changed the way a size can be changed. The default used to be that you just say the new canvas size, and it sets to the new number. Now it asks for the difference between the current size and the one you want. Which requires a ridiculous amount of math to get to the exact decimal point you need. There’s gotta be a way to set it back to simply state the desired new canvas size, right?? Anybody know how to do that?

(Also how to default it to be in inches vs. pixels.)

Thanks!

jane-e

Community Expert

@dmitryb80299766 wrote: Now it asks for the difference between the current size and the one you want.

Can you tell us if “Relative to current dimension” is checked? If so, turn it off.

(Also how to default it to be in inches vs. pixels.)

See if the answer in the highlighted reply helps:

https://community.adobe.com/bug-reports-711/p-ps-27-4-setting-the-default-in-preferences-units-to-inches-is-ignored-by-canvas-size-1551535?postid=7515103#post7515103

Let us know if these help or if you need more assistance.

Jane

jtxterrier

Participant

As is always the case, a new poorly-tested, poorly-executed “improvement” is the cause, and the solution is to find where the offending non-improvement can be disabled, followed by disabling, followed by a few curse words about dumb thing Adobe does all the time.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Pixels are more precise because our screens consist of pixels.

Inches are used for printing, not measuring objects on a screen.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

M

Muir Beach

Participating Frequently

It doesn’t matter if they are more precise if you are working in inches it is a huge pain to have to click on every image you need to adjust canvas size and change from pixels to inches. It used to work fine either way pixels or inches. Now for those of us who do work in inches it’s a mess.

jane-e

Community Expert

@Muir Beach

Until Adobe fixes this, see if the answer in the highlighted reply helps:

https://community.adobe.com/bug-reports-711/p-ps-27-4-setting-the-default-in-preferences-units-to-inches-is-ignored-by-canvas-size-1551535?postid=7515103#post7515103

Alternatively, try inputting inches and let Adobe convert to pixels. Type (for instance) 6”. If you only type 6 without the inch marks, it will register in the default measurement of 6 pixels.

Jane

jane-e

Community Expert

@jnwbr

This is a known issue and Adobe is aware. See this primary thread:

https://community.adobe.com/bug-reports-711/p-ps27-4-beta-manipulating-the-transform-values-in-the-properties-panel-causes-the-path-to-be-duplicated-1554445?postid=1554445#post1554445

Jane

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

I cannot reproduce the issue at current (on Photoshop 27.4.0).

J

jnwbr

Inspiring

I’m on 27.4 as well. Happens every time for me.

jane-e

Community Expert

@jnwbr 27.5 was just released. I haven’t heard if this issue was fixed or not. See my earlier link for the Primary thread.

Jane

J

jnwbr

Inspiring

If I have my rulers set to Inches, why does the Canvas Size dialog box default to Pixels?

M

Muir Beach

Participating Frequently

Good question. I just spent three plus hours with Adobe and all they did for me was without asking click to update my system which was already on 26.2 to 26.4 and then they disapeared and it still does exactly what you took a screen shot above.

J

Jom3000

Participant

Together with this error, the decimal separator is also not following the global setting. When your decimal separator is a point, you will not experience the issue, but I use a comma and that global setting is not respected in the Canvas Size menu alone.