Liquify tool not working in photoshop

Question

The liquify tool isn't working in photoshop, despite updating to the most recent version, holding the shift key upon opening the program, and trying different ways of controlling it (track pad vs wacom vs mouse.) Does anyone know why this is happening or how to fix it?

I had this problem on Adobe Photoshop 2025 AND when I just installed 2026. I have a mac os 15.6.1. I open the liquify window, and nothing happens when I try to draw what I need with the tool, even though the cursor is moving with the track pad/mouse/wacom tablet.

phoebe_1179 · Accepted Answer

I ended up getting the tech support to go on my computer, ands they went in
and changed the name of a file folder and did a complete reset of
Photoshop. Just fyi: it will delete any brushes/actions you may have so
back them up first. They didn't warn me and I had to scramble to find my
brushes on an old hard drive again😂 Also, now my Wacom tablet won't
communicate with Photoshop, so it might affect things there, too. Good luck!

--
Phoebe Rose Osborn
Byrd and Vellum Photography
650.380.0958
*info@byrdandvellum.com *

Aleke · Answer

Hi @phoebe_1179, welcome to the community!
I just tested the Liquify tool on my end, and it seems to be working as expected. Could you share a few more details about what’s happening on your side? If possible, a screenshot of the Liquify window showing all panels would really help us understand the issue better.
As a quick check, make sure your Liquify brush settings like Size and Pressure aren’t set too low, if they are, the brush might be very small and the changes harder to notice.
Thanks for reaching out!
Alek

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded