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AlePaxND
AlePaxND
Participant
April 2, 2026

Photoshop 27.5 - Cannot load alpha channel for OpenXR files!

  • April 2, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 54 views

In the latest update Adobe changed the way EXR files are loaded in Photoshop (nobody asked for that, but hey, they know what ther’re doing! NOT.) 

Now you’re prompted to load the alpha as layer mask or transparency, but there’s no option to have it loaded as plain simple channel... (Adobe, do you know RGBA?)

Can we have it back please? (And maybe do not break things in the future too?)

1 reply

C
Adobe Employee
cody_cuellar
Adobe Employee
April 15, 2026

Thanks for the feedback — we understand that workflow changes can be frustrating, and we want to make the transition as smooth as possible for all users.

 

These updates came from long-standing requests and collaboration with VFX studios who regularly work with multi-layer EXRs needing full EXR 2.0 spec support and non-destructive alpha handling. In order to align more closely with the EXR standard and support all EXR data, some changes to file opening behaviors were necessary.

 

Since alpha must stay associated with the correct layer with multiple RGBA layers, the 'as alpha channel' was no longer an option, so 'as alpha channel' was no longer viable — layer transparency and alpha mask are now the two destinations to keep EXR files fully round-trippable.

 

That said, you can replicate the old compositing behavior today: select **Unaltered** for alpha handling and **User Mask** for alpha placement, then disable the mask. That gives you the same result as the legacy "as alpha channel" option, while being able to preserve alpha on write.

 

We're considering a **"disable alpha on load"** option so you can start from plain RGB just like the alpha mask legacy option with no transparency applied by default. Would that help your workflow?

AlePaxND
AlePaxNDAuthor
Participant
April 16, 2026

Fair enough, but not enough ;)

I get your point, but nothing prevents you from treating single layer EXR’s with the legacy method (that is my case). I relied upon a script to auto-load multiple EXR into a single PSD with multiple layers AND a single alpha channel derived from the beauty pass. Now I made a standalone Python app to achieve the same result. Thanks anyway.

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