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T
Tuttleharry
Inspiring
January 8, 2019
Answered

.psd files not opening with the default application in After Effects

  • January 8, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 5717 views

I have six computers running the Adobe CC2019 suite.  They all exhibit this behavior. It started small and has become worse ever since. The problem:

If i have a Photoshop file (.psd) in an After Effects 2019 project, then use "Edit Original" (CTRL-E) to have the file open in Photoshop for editing, I get the error...

"After Effects error: cannot locate an application to open [file name].psd.   (1 :: 77)"

Beyond that, when opening a .psd file from Windows 10 by double-clicking it, I will sometimes be asked by Windows what program I want to use to open it. I can choose Photoshop and check the box for "Always use this program for this filetype". But, moments later I will get the same prompt when opening another .psd file. I've also tried to set the default application for .psd files in Windows from the Default App Settings.  It currently says the "Windows Picture Viewer" is the default application for .psd files. When I try to change it and select Photoshop CC2019 for the default program, nothing happens. The default program remains "Windows Picture Viewer."

I can't be the only one having this problem. Like I said, I have six computers that all are having this problem. Anyone else seeing this in CC2019?

    Correct answer Tuttleharry

    Found the fix:

    In the registry, find the address: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.psd and change the default value to Photoshop.Image.20 (mine was Photoshop.Image.19)

    This has worked on every computer.  Hopefully, it will hold and not revert back.

    2 replies

    J
    JoeyCoyote
    Participant
    February 16, 2025

    Maybe this applied to that version, but for the 2025 version, I made the HOTKEY change and still receive the error (1::77). I have only 2025 version of both PS and AE installed on Win 11, gaming laptop. The bridge worked last week, with absolutely NO issues. Now, after updating, I cannot cross the bridge.

    This fix does nothing. Except, when I changed the "psd.24" to "psd.23" and tried opening the original to edit, the psd file opened in GIMP--perhaps the next-best option for my PC.

    Because I hold a school account, Adobe says I can only receive tech support through my institution--which is closed for tomorrow's holiday. I need assistance now. 

    nishu_kush
    nishu_kush
    Legend
    February 17, 2025

    Please make sure that Photoshop is set as the default application of .PSD file. Here's how: https://adobe.ly/4bbDXQg

    Let us know if that works.


    Thanks,
    Nishu

    P.M.B
    P.M.B
    Legend
    January 8, 2019

    It might not be related to AE. I recently had a similar problem with illustrator .eps files.  I think it happened after updating to latest version of Bridge.  The affiliation got broke and I couldn't open the files from inside Bridge.  I had no option to "open with" and manually setting the file association would not take just as you described.  The fix was resetting Illustrator's preferences.  So maybe try resetting Photoshop's preferences.  Hold down CTRL+ALT+SHIFT while launching PS to reset the preferences.

    ~Gutterfish
    T
    TuttleharryAuthor
    Inspiring
    January 8, 2019

    Gutterfish: It's a good thought. I tried the CTRL+ALT+SHIFT approach and it didn't fix anything. I was skeptical because this is happening on multiple computers for me.

    However, I uninstalled Photoshop CC2019 and installed Photoshop CC2018 instead.  That worked!  All file associations are fixed. I can even open Photoshop files from After Effects CC2019 using the CTRL+E shortcut. Just to be sure, I then uninstalled PS CC2018 and re-installed PS CC2019.  The problem was back again. I seems to be wholly related to Photoshop CC2019. Maybe I should move this discussion over to that forum instead.

    T
    TuttleharryAuthorCorrect answer
    Inspiring
    January 8, 2019

    Found the fix:

    In the registry, find the address: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.psd and change the default value to Photoshop.Image.20 (mine was Photoshop.Image.19)

    This has worked on every computer.  Hopefully, it will hold and not revert back.

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