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Pixium
Pixium
Participating Frequently
February 2, 2022
Answered

Brush stroke delay (Not lag) - brush stroke doesn't appear immediately - Windows

  • February 2, 2022
  • 12 replies
  • 8147 views

Hi,

 

On windows, when I start a brush stroke the stroke doesn't appear immediately. For example, if I hold still the pen on the screen it makes a mark only when I release the pen. If I make a stroke, it appears only when I'm few millimetres away from the starting point. That's very muddled but annoying, and it only happens in Photoshop. You can see it in the attached video.

 

I'm drawing on tablets and I have this issue with both of my tablets (Huion and Wacom), I'm on windows 11 and I tried on a Windows 10 too.

 

-> I'm up to date with Photoshop(23.1)

      -> But it happens on previous version too.

-> already tried to reset preferences

-> already tried to disable windows ink (In table settings, and with the user setting files)

 

Any help ?

    Correct answer CO.01135948NU

    Apologies for replying so late, but I had the exact same problem and was messing around in my brush settings for a while to see if I could figure it out. I'm not 100% if this'll work for you but it saved me:
    In the brush settings, go to the shape dynamics tab, find the Angle Jitter Control drop down menu, and take it off the Initial Direction setting. I switched mine to pen tilt since they work basically the same (if you have a pen that supports that setting...) and it fixed the weird delay problem you showed in the video. Hope this helps

    12 replies

    jeromea13244388
    jeromea13244388
    Inspiring
    July 13, 2025

    @Pixium The bug seems to have been adressed in the 26.9 update of Photoshop... You can test it in the beta release if you want https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/brush-delay-in-photoshop-3-years-old-bug-still-not-fixed/m-p/15390722#M870412

    jeromea13244388
    jeromea13244388
    Inspiring
    August 4, 2025

    @Pixium The 26.9 update is now available, have you been able to donwload it ?

    jeromea13244388
    jeromea13244388
    Inspiring
    March 18, 2025

    @chad.rolfs The bug is still not resolved in Photoshop 26.4.1. Please please please fix this.

      C
      CO.01135948NUCorrect answer
      Participant
      October 31, 2023

      Apologies for replying so late, but I had the exact same problem and was messing around in my brush settings for a while to see if I could figure it out. I'm not 100% if this'll work for you but it saved me:
      In the brush settings, go to the shape dynamics tab, find the Angle Jitter Control drop down menu, and take it off the Initial Direction setting. I switched mine to pen tilt since they work basically the same (if you have a pen that supports that setting...) and it fixed the weird delay problem you showed in the video. Hope this helps

        L
        laurent30491129te3x
        Participant
        April 20, 2024

        Thanks a lot CO.01135948NU !! It worked perfectly for me ! This little lag was turning me nut !!

        Pixium
        PixiumAuthor
        Participating Frequently
        February 4, 2022

        Thank you for your time @chad.rolfs , and you're right, it does not happen with default general brush ! I also tried to build a brush from it and the problem does not occur. But I occur with all brushes I tested from Kyle's Brushes and also on a few other brushback I downloaded. If I made a brush starting by one of those DL ones, the problem still occurs.  

         

        Which of the solutions did you try from BoroCG's video that didn't work? Enable airbrush-style build-up effects or the PSUserConfig.txt (WinTab) one?

        I tried the PSUserConfig.txt, and i miss the "Enable airbrush-style build-up effects" info (as English is not my mother tongue) So i just tried and it seems to work clean with it enabled. But I don't need/want this effect on all of my brushes.

         

        Also, I tried to change the scattering but it does not make any change.

         

        Do you notice this issue on the free-select tool, and shapes select tools ? Cause I did so. It's not a real problem for those tools, but it's interesting to mention.

         

        So thanks a lot cause we have half a solution on it 🙂

          jeromea13244388
          jeromea13244388
          Inspiring
          February 19, 2025

          I suppose it's not worth replying here because @Pixium doesn't seem to be active on the message board anymore but I have the exact same problem (3 years later still !) and except "enable airbrush" nothing is working so far https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/can-t-draw-dots-or-very-small-things-with-brush-without-moving-the-pen/m-p/15147477#M853094

          Pixium
          PixiumAuthor
          Participating Frequently
          February 19, 2025

          You did right, adobe summoned me with your message ^^ Airbrush setting is the only way i found to this date as workaround...

           

            Pixium
            PixiumAuthor
            Participating Frequently
            February 4, 2022

            Sorry for time delay it was night time on my part of the world, i'll try it during the day and test everything cleanly, making you a report 😉 Thanks.

            chad.rolfs
            Community Manager
            chad.rolfsCommunity Manager
            Community Manager
            February 3, 2022

            @Pixium It looks like Scattering may be the culprit.  Try unchecking that, if it is checked, in your Brush Settings and let me know what your results are. Thanks!

            chad.rolfs
            Community Manager
            chad.rolfsCommunity Manager
            Community Manager
            February 3, 2022

            Hmmm, I was able to repro this on Mac as well with the particular brush I'm testing with. Investingating....

            chad.rolfs
            Community Manager
            chad.rolfsCommunity Manager
            Community Manager
            February 3, 2022

            Thanks @Pixium! After fine tuning things a bit more, I am able to repro with a custom brush and other Kyle Webster brushes.  I did notice that it does not occur on the computed brushes, i.e. the default General Brushes (Hard Round).  Which of the solutions did you try from BoroCG's video that didn't work?  Enable airbrush-style build-up effects or the PSUserConfig.txt (WinTab) one?

            Pixium
            PixiumAuthor
            Participating Frequently
            February 3, 2022

            I made a more detailed answer below, but yes it happens with all brushes even simplest ones. And it also happens with the lasso tool, stamp tool, eraser, select tool, pen tool.

             

            This guy speak about this issue here at 6:39 : https://youtu.be/F3MlhIaK-y0?t=399

            He say : "That's because windows ink use time delay to know if you make a touch or a swipe"

             

            But his fix did not work for me, windows ink active or inactivate the problem is the same.

             

            For the record, I'm a very professional user of Photoshop for years, and I'm also informatics engineer. So I tried lots of basic manipulation to fix this. I started to notice this issue about 2 years ago.

            Pixium
            PixiumAuthor
            Participating Frequently
            February 3, 2022

            Thanks for your time floramc and chad.rolfs,


            floramc, I did try this option, that's what I thought first. It occurs with all brushes, even with the simplest ones, and also with the Lasso Tool, stamp tools... That's not really "lag" cause the brush flow is nice, it's just a delay : the stroke appears just after I start moving my pen. Once the stroke has appeared, everything goes normally.

            I have a very, very fast PC with high-end components, it can't be a lag, as all the other things run pretty well.

             

            chad.rolfs, i work mainly on my Huion, but both my Wacom and Huion are up to date Drivers&Frimware. Did your brushstroke apear immediatly on your windows 10 ? Like, you pen touch the sreen whithout moving, and a stroke apear or you have to move or release the pen to see the stroke ?

             

            This guy speak about this issue here at 6:39 : https://youtu.be/F3MlhIaK-y0?t=399

            But his fix did not work for me "That's because windows ink use time delay to know if your make a touch or a swipe"


            On fast and big brush strokes it's not a problem, but for tiny lines or handwriting it's quite annoying.

            I just tried on a MacBook, and it does not occur. The stroke appears directly. I tried on 3 differents windows PC, and the delay occure on all of them. In fact this is a long term issue for me, that's why i finally decided to ask for help.


            It looks like something about Photoshop and Windows OS more than a performance or brush setting issue. 😕😕


            I suspect windows ink, but I turn it on/off without differences.

             

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