Participant

Answered

How do I keep a floating window on top of a tabbed document so that it can be used as a reference while drawing/painting?

Forum|Forum|11 years ago
May 10, 2014
12 replies
39993 views

Just started using Photoshop CC on my iMac and I have noticed this issue which I did not have using windows based computers. Any floating window just seems to hide in the background as soon as I click on the tabbed document I want to work on. This is an issue for me since I like to have a couple of references open while painting plus I always have another with nothing but my color palette in it. I've already gone over the preferences but can't seem to find the way to avoid this and the options from Widow>Arrange weren't any help also resizing all windows so that they don't overlap each other ends up wasting a lot of screen real estate.

Correct answer Pete.Green

Could you post the link again since it does not work any more ? Also, it's August 2017 and this feature is still not there...

Thanks for letting me know that link was down Kaiwenz. I've fixed the above link.

Here it is again for posting other feature requests: Photoshop Family Customer Community

And here is a thread relative to having a reference image on top that others can add their vote/voice to: Photoshop: Reference image holder as a panel | Photoshop Family Customer Community

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DarbiG

Known Participant

I search for this every year...and am appalled that no fix has been made. I open 10 window at a time… and I need to dragf elements from each of those 10 to one of them...and I can’t...b ecause it hides in the back as soon as I click on another tab. IT IS MADDENING. I have to go up to WINDOW...and scroll to the bottom to find the name of the document I’m dragging onto. WHYYYYYYY

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ExUSA

Genius

I don’t understand why anyone on the Mac uses the tabbed UI. However, the entire purpose of the application frame and tabs is to put everything in one window. I turn off the application frame, and I use two displays so I can have something else on screen as needed. This is not a bug.

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LPatODA

Participant

IT IS COMPLETELY **INSANE** THAT ADOBE HASN'T ADDRESSED THIS.

It's 2025 now. This thread is almost 10 years old. How is this functionality still lacking for Mac users?!

I've been using Adobe products for decades on Windows... and recently had to switch to a Mac for work. The inability to work with a main document docked in a tab with a separate floating window above it as a reference... is crazy-making. Especially when we (users) know that Adobe knows how to code the software to do it... because it's been possible on Windows since the beginning of time.

WHY GOD

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LPatODA

Participant

...sorry, typo -- this issue / thread is *OVER* 10 years old (not 'almost'). The fact that there's been no fix is bonkers.

Earth Oliver

Legend

How is that Ps doesn't include this feature? Ps is used by artists and most artists use reference images in their workflows, yet Ps doesn't allow for an always-on-top floating window? Why?

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Springheel

Participating Frequently

So nine years later...any solution to this issue?

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Violet_C

Participant

I found this: try to change the check box state. And remember to close the software and open it again.

It worked for me :).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1hcCEMzkbU

https://minhajulhaque.com/photoshop-preferences-for-better-photo-editing/

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iriss90593928

Participating Frequently

Didn't work for me. All that does is prevent you from docking the floating wondows back to the program.

It's annoying this is not an option for Mac

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Ketvi5C40

Participant

Dear ADOBE company please pay attention to the problem that annoys the users!

I spent one day of my life finding a solution. And I couldn't. And I'm terribly angry!

Because I do not understand how it was possible not to solve the question for so many years? As we see the issue was recorded in 2014, today 2021! How it is possible for so much time no find solution and fix it and do the same like for "Windows" users?! There are not only Windows users as you see.

All the solution that were proposed above are not convenient? Do you understand? Are uncomfortable for permanent work! You add not the necessary functions in the program, but that really need you can not solve so many years.

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Kaitlyn Elizabeth

Participant

I would very much like for this to be implemented into Mac computers. Is anyone aware of a work-around in the meantime?

Derek Cross

Community Expert

Can't you just "tear off" the tab so you have two image windows open and then you size and position each to suit?

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agile_idea157F

Participant

Yes you can do that Derek and it does seem like the only solution, but you spend time moving windows around and re-sizing and when you are doing this all day it is very frustrating, time consuming and really a very inelegant way to deal with this. I'm very surprised there is no real fix for this on a mac as this is a huge issue for me also. On windows it really is extremely handy to have a floating windows always appear over a docked one, even if the docked one has focus.

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benj_v

Known Participant

Must implement an "always bring to front" option while doing a right click in a floating window

danceswithweb

Participant

I've had this same exact issue. Not sure how to solve it completely but if you make all of your windows into floating windows (with none attached to the Photoshop bar at top) then they will stay on top of the application frame. You can even tab your floating windows as long as each group of tabs stays floating.

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MikeDcomics

Participant

I've just moved to using a Mac and this really does appear to be a bug. I can't believe how annoying it is to have your floating reference window disappear behind your active pane...it doesn't happen on the pc. And it looks like nobody has a workable solution.

Pete.Green

Community Manager

Have you tried turning off the application frame?

Window > Application Frame

Does that help?

Sergiotron

Participant

That doesn't help. I can't believe we can't have a reference floating window on top all the time when working on Mac... It's very useful on Windows!

I do pixel art, so having an "Window/Arrange/New window" (set at 100% zoom) for my documents is VERY important. I feel so frustrated.

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Anonymous

has your issue been fixed?

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scottcampbell-seattle

Participant

This can't be fixed unfortunately. It is super annoying. What we (brendabanu and others) want is a feature, like on the PC, that never allows floating windows to go behind the application background window. For those of us who have multiple windows sharing data that are open on multiple monitors it is unbearable...actually a bug not a feature.

brendabanuAuthor

Participant

c.pfaffenbichler meruhelp this is what I'm used to in Windows windowsWORKSPACE | Flickr - Photo Sharing! and yes the active document does not need to be the top most window. This enables me to have my references as floating windows and keep them where I need them as I paint.

This is what I have to do while working on my Mac macWORKSPACE | Flickr - Photo Sharing! keeping references to either side using floating windows or options from Window>Arrange. If I drag them closer to the area I want to work on, the window will either disappear behind the active document window or it will overlap as you can see in the two images in the top left corner. Aside from the extra work from rearranging windows this way I feel that I'm loosing a good chunk of screen (see yellow striped area).

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