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Participant
August 8, 2026
Question

Latest update, Layer Styles cause PS to freeze

  • August 8, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 26 views

Ver. 27.9.1 (Windows 11) - When I try to edit the color of a Color Overlay Layer Style, the program freezes.  I can’t click the color swatch to change it, but I can use the eyedropper to change the color.  ANY other click results in a Windows chime sound saying that something is wrong.  Photoshop is frozen, I can’t exit the Layer Styles editor, can’t do anything except ‘End task’ Photoshop.   

While typing this I also tried editing the color of a different layer Style, and as soon as I click the color swatch the same behavior results.  I also used the Paintbrush (not within a Lyer Style edit, just painting on a layer) and clicked the color swatch, same thing happens - the cursor changes to the Eyedropper and every click, no matter where, sets off the Windows sound and Photoshop is totally unresponsive. 

Keyboard shortcuts to change the tool (V or M) do nothing, just the same Windows sound as a response.  I have to force the program to shutdown, there’s no way out of this loop.

    2 replies

    J E L
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 8, 2026

    Hi ​@Minvader, I can click the color swatch and change colors without any problem (Windows 11 Pro; Photoshop 27.9.1 Release). I did a quick test here with “Season’s Greeting” as the placed image with a clipped solid color fill layer. Have you tried resetting preferences or done any other troubleshooting? Can you share a screenshot, including your layers panel, to show us how you are going about this?

     

    MinvaderAuthor
    Participant
    August 10, 2026

    I sat down to dig deeper, and the problem just got stranger the more I tried to figure out exactly how to explain the problem, it was like the Eyedropper went rogue took over anytime it gets invoked while in any tool, and PH had to be end-tasked.

    So I reset my Preferences, and everything is fine.

    I didn’t ever change any preferences, so I can’t explain this at all.  Now I get to sit down and try to remember everything that I had changed (long before this problem happened) because I hate a lot of the defaults.

    So thanks for the suggestion that didn’t seem like it could possibly be related!