brush cursor flickering to arrow cursor

Hi there! I had this problem with photoshop 2020. I didn't had any photoshop plugins or font extensions installed and tried everything (list below), so maybe that will help someone else too.
I've installed the latest wacom drivers, updated my windows 11, installed latest video card drivers (AMD), disabled windows ink, created folder PSUserConfig in Photoshop settings (tablet users are probably aware of it) - nothing helped. Wanted to try disabling font activation, but you can't do that in the 2020 version of Photoshop! (also tried 2021 and 2022 versions of PS - didn't catch that bug there, but other lags and pain appeared  🤌  🤌 

So,
My solution was installing myself Photoshop 2019 - and everything works like clockwork. I don't know, it's like the older the version of Adobe (PS), the smoothier it works.

IN my case it was an old installation of the AAM (Adobe Application Manager).

I just coincidentally checked for 32-Bit applications which will not be running when updating the OS once. It never was  uninstalled by Adobe Updater when updating from CS6 to CSS and was still runnning in the background, interferring with Photoshop!

Adobe the most horrible software house ever ... it is unbelievable

I was experiencing this problem with the latest version of Photoshop (21.1.1) running on MacOS (10.15.4). I finally figured out that auto-activation in the font management app RightFont (5.8.4) was the culprit. After disabling auto-activation of fonts for Photoshop, the problem went away. Anyone experiencing this problem may want to disable auto-activation in their 3rd-party font management app to see if that is the cause. You may also try disabling the app entirely if the first step doesn't do it. Ultimately, it seems third-party extensions and apps are the root cause for the cursor flicker. You just need to figure out which. Hope this helps!

This flickering cursor has been driving me CRAZY The flickering ONLY happens in Adobe programs (Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) and I ALSO have the flickering cursor with my Apple Trackpad. There are NO flickering issues on any other programs outside of the Adobe suite. Even trying to use the Pen tool in InDesign is SO difficult...because of the flickering cursor...it keeps changing back and forth from the pen tool to the arrowhead, making it very difficult to work. I am on a new iMac and had the same issues with my older iMac.

**update**

I read this tip in another forum and it worked for me! Choosing to HIDE Photoshop stopped the flickering in all of the other Adobe programs. VERY strange but it worked!

This has been bothering me in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. I believe the problem was interference from either my scanner or my computer. I moved the tablet farther away and unplugged the scanner's USB and the flickering has stopped. Finally! Hopefully this helps someone. This was the most annoying problem ever.

We have seen that on MacOS 10.6.8 -- due to some third party plugins that needed to be updated, and to an older wacom driver that needed an update.

Also, make sure you have the current updates installed (13.0.3 or 13.1.1).

Ben,

The flickering cursor on Photoshop can be due to many reasons.

Firstly check on the MAC that all the recent updates for the MAC OS as well as PS are installed.

Try to launch the photoshop by pressing shift key to disable third party plugins and check.

Also try to press Command, Option, Shift on MAC as you click on Photoshop and reset the preferences.

Try these basic steps and let us know how that works!

Mandhir

Don't know about the Mac but this is an issue with graphics driver and  Win8.  Do you have the latest version on  the OS?