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ImaRetiredTeacher
ImaRetiredTeacher
Known Participant
March 16, 2025
Question

Lightroom Classic Masking Issues

  • March 16, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 392 views

Hello,

Am I the only one having issues with LrC's masking? As shown in the screenshot that's attached, the mask no longer fully covers the object. There also seems to be an issue with the feathering of the mask, making a distinct line between what is and isn't part of the mask. I've been having various problems for months (this is not my first posting regarding masking), This is what I believe keeps getting my stock images refused. I'm getting frustrated. Everything started going wrong after a recent update. Please fix this issue, Adobe!

This image has only been processed in Lightroom Classic, the most recent version as I'm a monthly subscriber. Not sure what other info you might need, but I use a windows based desktop.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

4 replies

roc97007
roc97007
Known Participant
April 19, 2026

I’m having a similar problem.  When I create a new mask the dialog box comes up for a half second and then blinks off again.  No mask is created.

This used to work consistently.  Currently running Classic 15.3, updated today (4/18/2026).  The video card is Nvidia RTX 4060.

I’ve found through experimentation that if I restart Lightroom, sometimes masking will start working again. Then at some random future time it’ll stop working.

As I’ve not had this problem before with this hardware and this video card, I suspect this was a bug introduced in a recent update.

Any plans to fix this?

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 19, 2026

Did you check for GPU driver updates at Nvidia? Out of date drivers is far more likely the cause, because each new version of Lightroom demands more of the GPU. In the vast majority of ‘bug’ reports about masking, that is the issue. Use Studio drivers, not Game Ready drivers if there is such a choice for your GPU.

-- Johan W. Elzenga
D
damon_9405
Participant
March 17, 2025

It sounds like a tricky issue! If masking isn’t working as expected, it could be related to specific images or settings. Try testing the masking tools on a different set of photos to see if the problem is consistent. Additionally, disabling GPU acceleration in Lightroom preferences (under Performance) might help if the issue is graphics-related. If all else fails, reaching out to Adobe Support with details about your system and steps to reproduce the issue could help them provide a solution.

D
damon_9405
Participant
March 17, 2025

Masking issues in Lightroom Classic can be frustrating! If you're experiencing problems, make sure your software is fully updated to the latest version, as Adobe frequently releases bug fixes. Also, check if your graphics drivers are up to date, as outdated drivers can sometimes interfere with masking tools. If the issue persists, try resetting Lightroom's preferences or clearing the cache to see if that resolves the problem.

Sameer K
Community Manager
Sameer KCommunity Manager
Community Manager
March 17, 2025

Hey, @ImaRetiredTeacher. Welcome to the Lightroom Community. I'll help you figure this out. Please share the system info from Lightroom from Help > System info > Copy and paste into a text document > Upload and attach here.

 

 Does this image have any global adjustments applied to it prior to the masking workflow? 

 

You can try resetting Lightroom as a primary step in troubleshooting this:

1 - While holding down the ALT + SHIFT keys, launch Lightroom from the Creative Cloud desktop app. 

2 - Select 'Yes' when prompted to reset Preferences. 

 

Let me know how it goes. Thanks!
Sameer K

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