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Participant
September 4, 2026
Question

Cannot launch photoshop on desktop, it will launch in browser

  • September 4, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 62 views

Moticed Photoshop 27.1 stopped opening when trying to edit from Lightroom, or Edit as Smart Object from Lightroom, Then tried to open Photoshop on its own Initial screen checking memory appears then nothing. Checked up to date in creative cloud all up to date, tried launching from Creative Cloud again splash screen checking memory then nothing. Rebooted system checked all above again nothing. LRC and Lr both working fine problem is only with Photoshop

    4 replies

    Participant
    September 4, 2026

    Ok solved it after eading a couple of threads here. First I checked preferences by pressing shift key after launching and selected option to start without preferences, still the same out come splash screen got to memory check then nothing, and even checking Task Manager PS was not running.

    So next I checked NVidia drivers and there was an update available for my 4070Ti graphics card, updated it and then checked PS again, it started up perfectly!

    I am using PS 27.10 which was updated 6 days ago and I had been using PS for the days up to this morning when it stopped working for no reason.

    So I would suggest anyone else to check preferences using the Shift Key to disable them, and if it still doesn’t launch try a new or as others have stated a previous graphics card driver.

    Anshul_Saini
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    September 4, 2026

    Hi ​@Andrew_Bird1299,

    Thanks for reporting this. We are currently tracking an issue involving Edit in Photoshop from Lightroom Classic/Lightroom here:

    However, I don’t want to merge your report with that issue just yet, because you’ve mentioned an important difference: Photoshop also fails to launch when opened directly, even from the Creative Cloud desktop app. The tracked Lightroom issue may therefore not be the same problem.
     

    Could you first confirm your exact Photoshop version? You mentioned 27.1, or do you mean 27.10?
     

    Also, when Photoshop fails to launch, does the splash screen disappear completely without displaying an error, or does Photoshop remain running in Task Manager/Activity Monitor?
     

    If you’re on 27.10, could you also install the previous version, 27.9.1, from Creative Cloud Desktop > Apps > Photoshop > More actions (…) > Other versions, and check whether Photoshop launches normally there?
     

    If 27.9.1 launches but 27.10 does not, that’s an important distinction and will help us determine whether this is related to the current release rather than the existing Lightroom-to-Photoshop issue.
     

    Please also copy & paste system info from the PS help > System info here.

    Best,
    Anshul Saini

    Halo Photography Ltd
    Known Participant
    September 4, 2026

    I have this same issue. Only fix I have found it to install a different graphics driver version. It happened to me last week and i dropped back to previous version. Happened again today so I put the driver back to the current verion and it opened again. Not sure what is going on.

    Ged_Traynor
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    September 4, 2026

    @Andrew_Bird1299 try manually resetting your Photoshop preferences