How to Fix the “Simulate Pressure” Problem in Photoshop

If Simulate Pressure isn’t working as expected in Photoshop, try this quick setup:

1. Use the Pen Tool (P) to create an open path.
2. Press B to switch to the Brush Tool.
3. Go to Window → Brush Settings.
4. Open Shape Dynamics and enable it.
5. Under Size Jitter, set Control to Pen Pressure.
6. Right-click on the canvas and choose Stroke Path.
7. In the Stroke Path dialog, select Brush and enable Simulate Pressure.
8. Click OK.

This should allow Photoshop to create a tapered stroke that simulates pen pressure along the path.

If the result still looks uniform, double-check that Shape Dynamics → Size Jitter → Control is actually set to Pen Pressure, and make sure you’re using a brush that supports size variation.