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bergamar
Participating Frequently
March 20, 2023
Answered

EYEDROPPER while using BRUSH tool (witOPT/ALT) picks up background color instead of foreground color

  • March 20, 2023
  • 5 replies
  • 4274 views

Ps 24.2.0

MacOS Big Sur

 

I've been using Ps for years and have always used OPT/ALT to quickly switch between BRUSH and EYEDROPPER tool to change the brush color, so when I'm using brush tool I temporarily hold on OPT key and select a different FOREGROUND colour.

 

Now I realize that in doing so eyedropper picks up the BACKGROUND colour and not the foreground, no problem if I need to do this once, since with X key I can switch between foreground and background, but it turns out to be pretty annoying if I need to do multiple changes of colour in a short time.
I've looked into the preferences but without finding any solution yet.

 

Any suggestion?

Correct answer Kevin Stohlmeyer

Hi @bergamar check your color panel - do you have the background swatch selected?

If unsure click the foreground color on this panel to confirm.

 

5 replies

REI KANO
REI KANO
Participant
September 28, 2025

Photoshop Eyedropper Picks Background Instead of Foreground (macOS)

Common Causes & Fixes

 

 

  1. macOS Permissions denied on first launch

     

    • Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security.

    • Under Full Disk Access and Screen Recording, make sure Photoshop is added and enabled.

     

  2. Wrong swatch active

     

    • If the Background swatch is active instead of Foreground, the Eyedropper will always update Background.

    • Solution: click the Foreground swatch in the toolbar so it becomes active.

     

  3. Corrupted Preferences (often after crashes or updates)

     

    • Quit Photoshop.

    • Hold Option + Command + Shift while launching Photoshop.

    • Confirm: “Delete the Adobe Photoshop Settings file?”.

    • This resets all tools to default, including Eyedropper behavior.

     

 

After this, Option + Click works normally again = samples Foreground Color.

B
bergamarAuthor
Participating Frequently
March 20, 2023

There it was! Thank you Kevin!

    Kevin Stohlmeyer
    Community Expert
    Kevin StohlmeyerCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    March 20, 2023

    Hi @bergamar check your color panel - do you have the background swatch selected?

    If unsure click the foreground color on this panel to confirm.

     

      L
      lmmura615
      Known Participant
      May 26, 2023

      This worked for me as well. Thanks.

      B
      bergamarAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      March 20, 2023

      Thank you Kevin but I'm sorry it doesn't work.

      Honestly I don't know how these two privacy settings could be related to my problem...eyedropper tool works perfectly, it actually can pick up colours from my screen to Ps foreground colour, but if I activate it while I'm using a brush tool holding ALT key it does store in memory the right colour but as background colour instead of foreground colour.

      R
      RosieL1204
      Participating Frequently
      October 27, 2023

      I have the same problem as well, but only in Photoshop Beta. All Beta versions have done this.

      Kevin Stohlmeyer
      Community Expert
      Kevin StohlmeyerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 20, 2023

      Hi @bergamar go to Apple System Preferences/Security and Privacy/Full Disk Access and making sure PS is listed and active. Then go to Privacy/Screen Capture (or Screen record depending on your OS version) and add Photoshop and check that as active as well.

       

      When you first used the eyedropper a Mac OS warning came up to allow - you hit decline and so PS cannot capture color properly without these settings.

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