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Inky27
Participant
June 25, 2024
Open for Voting

Dock Contextual Task Bar

  • June 25, 2024
  • 7 replies
  • 1004 views

I believe many others have a distaste for the inability to dock the contextual task bar. It becomes a tedious thing to continually have to move while working in Photoshop. It's always in the way, and pinning doesn't really work well.

 

I suggest making it able to be docked like any other panel, integrating into the control (options) bar like every other contextual task before this, or adding to the properties panel.

 

I'm not a beginner, so why am I forced to have a beginner-like user experience? The beauty of Photoshop and other Adobe software is to be able to customize your tools for your workflow and how you like them. This takes away from that, and other Adobe software such as Illustrator is starting to copy what Photoshop did.

 

I love gen fill, however, so it presents a conundrum. Do I only turn it on when I'm using gen fill or always leave it on? To the best of my knowledge, gen fill is the only thing that the bar has that there's no other way to do other than to go to Edit > Gen Fill or use a shortcut...

7 replies

Swandive stream
Inspiring
May 30, 2025

Being able to dock it like you can duck the Tools bar (except horizontally) would be useful to stop it wandering around the screen and generally getting in the way. Example: Color panel docked horizontally.

 

andrzeju68800611
Participant
March 10, 2025

good idea !

Participating Frequently
March 10, 2025

It used to do the same on my side, it wasn't consistent. I believe it was when using other tools that permitted the Gen Fill options, too, which made the menu pop up elsewhere. Pinning stays pinned nowadays.

Wouldn't mind having at least an answer as to why Docking is impossible. 

 

Community Manager
June 27, 2024

I am also curious when the Context Bar does not pin and specific scenarios when it get's in your way...

 

Also FYI, you can get to the Generate functionality (GenFill) when you have a selection > Edit > Generative Fill, so you don't need the Contextual Task Bar open to get to that feature.

Inky27
Inky27Author
Participant
June 27, 2024

It may have been right after gen fill was out of beta, but I had issues keeping it in one place. It's possible there was user error, but it's obtrusive to my workflow and workspace customizations. I like my panels open and use an ultra wide monitor.

 

There's nowhere to really pin without it being in the way or off in the corner. Regardless, I think Adobe can do better and provide a better user experience. I've never been a flyout panel designer and prefer everything docked in the same location with multiple workspaces depending on monitor size and workflow.

Legend
June 27, 2024

I just keep it hidden but I'm curious why pinning doesn't work? Functionally this isn't much different than docking it.

Participant
June 25, 2024

Contextual Task Bar DOES NOT DOCK in Photoshop.  It says you can pin it but it does not stay pinned.  What it does is show up in the middle of the area I'm editing and then I have to move it.  I have to do this every time I use photoshop.  It says I can 'pin' it but it does not stay pinned.  This makes no sense at all to me. Who would want it to block your work when you switch tools?  It would be very useful if you could pin in to the menu bar.

 

Please please please fix this.

Thank you.

deaded

Participating Frequently
July 16, 2024

Hey, deaded. Sorry for the trouble. I'll need more details to help you figure this out. 

 

What version of Photoshop are you using? 

 

You can get to the Generate functionality (GenFill) when you have a selection > Edit > Generative Fill, so you don't need the Contextual Task Bar open to get to that feature.

 

Also, you can check this link which helps you to dock Contextual Task Bar in Photoshop: https://adobe.ly/3Y4zgmM

 

Let us know if this helps.

Thanks,

Shivani