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minh_3506
Participant
August 23, 2026
Answered

Fonts search bug on mac.

  • August 23, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 56 views

This happens when I highlight a section of text, go to Character, type a font name, and press Return (Enter). The text block then turns completely grey, and I have to find a way to turn it off. Sometimes it even gets stuck on the screen when I minimize Photoshop.

I just bought a new Mac Air M5 expecting a better experience than my old Windows laptop, but then I ran into this bug. Does anyone know why this happens and how to fix it? It's really ruining my experience on Mac.

I’m using Photoshop version 27.9.1

If I don't search for fonts and just select them manually, it doesn't happen.

Someone literally told me to '"just quit the habit of searching for fonts." and I was like, 'WTF is that?" I shouldn't have to change my entire workflow just because of a bug.

 

Correct answer Srishti Bali

Hi ​@minh_3506 

 

Apologies for the delayed response. I’m hopeful that the issue has been resolved by now. I agree with the suggestion shared by ​@c.pfaffenbichler to temporarily turn off Font Preview.

I also agree that “just stop searching for fonts” is definitely not a solution. If this happens again, or if anyone else is experiencing the same issue, here are a few troubleshooting steps I would recommend:

  1. Reset Photoshop’s font cache

    Resetting the Photoshop font cache allows Photoshop to create a new enumerated font list. See: Reset the Photoshop font cache

  2. Reset Photoshop’s preferences

    If resetting the font cache doesn’t help, try resetting Photoshop’s preferences. You may want to back up your preferences before doing so. See: Back up and restore Photoshop preferences

If none of these steps help, please let us know whether the issue occurs with specific fonts or with all fonts. That information can help us narrow down the cause.

4 replies

Srishti Bali
Community Manager
Srishti BaliCommunity ManagerCorrect answer
Community Manager
September 25, 2026

Hi ​@minh_3506 

 

Apologies for the delayed response. I’m hopeful that the issue has been resolved by now. I agree with the suggestion shared by ​@c.pfaffenbichler to temporarily turn off Font Preview.

I also agree that “just stop searching for fonts” is definitely not a solution. If this happens again, or if anyone else is experiencing the same issue, here are a few troubleshooting steps I would recommend:

  1. Reset Photoshop’s font cache

    Resetting the Photoshop font cache allows Photoshop to create a new enumerated font list. See: Reset the Photoshop font cache

  2. Reset Photoshop’s preferences

    If resetting the font cache doesn’t help, try resetting Photoshop’s preferences. You may want to back up your preferences before doing so. See: Back up and restore Photoshop preferences

If none of these steps help, please let us know whether the issue occurs with specific fonts or with all fonts. That information can help us narrow down the cause.

Thanks, Srishti Bali | Community & Engagement Strategist, Digital Imaging | Adobe
    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 23, 2026

    Have you tried turning off the font preview?

     

      rowly23
      rowly23
      Participating Frequently
      August 23, 2026

      I’ve seen something similar when working with fonts in Photoshop, although mine wasn’t quite as severe. It seems especially frustrating when the problem only happens when searching for a font and not when selecting one manually.

      Since you’re on a new M5 Mac and a current Photoshop version, I’d probably try resetting Photoshop’s preferences first and also checking whether the issue still happens with a fresh document. If it only happens with font search, it definitely sounds more like a Photoshop/font-management bug than something wrong with your Mac.

      I agree that “just stop searching for fonts” isn’t really a solution, especially if searching is part of your normal workflow.

        LAMY2017
        Legend
        August 23, 2026

        I didn’t have any Montserrat fonts on my MacAir M1 running Ps 27.9.1 under Tahoe 26.6.2, so I went to the Fonts tab in CC to install the family. ~34 different variations.

        I selected my loren ipsum text, searched for 3 variations, did not see the gray box.

        Do other fonts cause this to occur?

        Larry
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