lag in second window view in Photoshop

Question

I am experiencing a problem in Photoshop that makes newer versions unusable for me.

My workflow requires working with two windows of the same document open at the same time. I paint in the large window, and I constantly look at the small window to see my work from a distance. This way I can paint efficiently without having to zoom in and out every second.

The issue:
In versions newer than 25.5 (starting with 25.6 and above), the second window does not update simultaneously while I paint. Instead, it shows my brush strokes with an extreme delay up to minutes. This makes the feature completely unusable, because I need to see the updates instantly while I paint.

Because of this, I am forced to stay on version 25.5, which still works for my workflow. But this means I cannot use any newer versions of Photoshop, as they all have this problem.

Aleke · Answer

Hi @Nia_Kovalevski3482, welcome to the community!

I tried testing this on my end but couldn’t reproduce the issue. There's a bit of "lag" but it updates instantly once you lift the pen and finish the stroke. Is that what you're referring to? If not, I’d recommend resetting your Photoshop preferences, it often helps clear up random glitches. Just be sure to back up your preferences first, since this will reset custom settings like brushes, workspaces, and more. Here’s how to do that: https://adobe.ly/3JxhPWL

If that doesn’t do the trick, could you share a screen recording of the issue and your System Info? You can find it in Photoshop under Help > System Info. Just copy it into a text file and attach it here, or share it via Google Drive, WeTransfer, or any file-sharing service you prefer.

Thanks a bunch!

Alek

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