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Error - Target Channel is hidden in Photoshop

Forum|Forum|12 years ago
December 16, 2013
11 replies
324747 views

In Photoshop CC, I am constantly getting the message "Could not ...... because the target channel is hidden" whenever I try to do anything. Every time, I check and see that the alpha channel is selected and hidden, so I select RGB instead. Why does it keep automatically switching back to alpha?

Correct answer

I had the same problem and found the solution:

Your top panel, go to Select then in the dropdown menu uncheck "Edit in quick mask mode". Then it switches back to automatic RGB channel selection from automatic Alpha selection.

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Ziyan____kp2184

Participant

why

C

CalebWestwood

Participant

Same happen to me cause I accidentally hit "Q", that is the hotkey to hide the channel on and off.

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kgantz1

Participant

What is a "Top Panel?" Where is that?

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Rasheed25785416kyg5

Participant

press Q

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Waybridgellc

Participant

REALLY ANNOYED BY THIS FEATURE! WIsh Adobe wouldn't keep chaning things around. Almost cried at my desk not knowing why this was happening.

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rileys01

Participant

Thank you!

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sebastienne Mundheim

Participant

Hi All, Its been so long since I've used photoshop. I I am unable to use the type tool after creating several layers. The pop us says "Could not use the type tool because the target channel is hidden." I do not know what "the top panel" is where I could deselect masking. Thanks for any help!

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olim92435738

Participant

You are in quick-mask mode

Push the letter Q and all your troubles will go away...

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krissyr53702966

Participant

Oh thank you so much

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paul_carkhuff

Participant

In my case I found out that when I was accidentally right clicking on the curves icon, when I meant to left click on it. I have a wireless mouse and it's easy to do:( This had the effect of creating a layer mask in a curves panel, instead of just a layer with curves adjustment. Since the curves panel showed up right where I expected it, I failed to notice that I was creating a layer mask with a curves in it. Then I went to use my eraser and got the same message. It kind of messed me up for a while, but I solved it by deleting the unwanted layer, and then deleting the alpha channel which was also inadvertently created. I had a similar problem with using the option key when using the quick selection tool. I heard a click, click, click, etc. and then my keyboard was inactivated. I resolved this by hitting the option key multiple times until I heard the click, click, etc. again. There are numerous ways to get in a weird setting that is not helpful, and then it takes forever to figure out what happened and how to fix it. Especially since it's unintentional, a person has no idea what they might have done. Luckily sometimes there is a sound to indicate that something weird happened.

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Anonymous

Correct answer

I had the same problem and found the solution:

Your top panel, go to Select then in the dropdown menu uncheck "Edit in quick mask mode". Then it switches back to automatic RGB channel selection from automatic Alpha selection.