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Participant
August 22, 2025
Question

No Pre-set patterns in Photoshop

  • August 22, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 261 views

I have had Photoshop for years but have never had any of the preset patterns that apparently I am meant to have.  I have search for a Patterns folder on my Mac which is there but entirely empty.  Does anyone have any idea how I can access the patterns that should be there?

4 replies

Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 26, 2025

Hi Richard

 

AFAIK most Photoshop presets work the same way. If you create a new brush, pattern, layer style etc. they exist in a Photoshop Settings file.  Note: Not Preferences.  You don't lose them when resetting Preferences.

You can see below a pattern I created, but the Preset\Pattern folder is empty.  If I left it as it is and did a major version update, I would lose that pattern.

 

However, if I create a new group and drag thos patterns into it, and then Export them...

I now have a new .pat file that contains those patterns.

Although that file now exists on your hard drive, you can still lose it. 

It will remain in the previous version presets folder, but after two major updates all presets are gone.

BTW that's the first place to look if you think you have lost presets.

I like to play safe and keep all presets in folders in My Documents, and keep a shortcut to that folder in the appropriate Photoshop Presets folder.  I'm guessing that you know how to create shortcuts for file folders?

 

Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 26, 2025

Just to be clear, if I delete a presets folder, so long as it has been exported to .pat .abr etc. then you can import it back.

davescm
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 25, 2025

In addition to the above, if you don't see the legacy patterns folder then, inside the patterns panel (opened with Window > Patterns), click on the icon at the top right and in the menu that opens click on 'Legacy Patterns and More'.

Dave

melissapiccone
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 25, 2025

You aren't missing much - they aren't great. Here is where they live on my mac. You could try to unistall and reinstall - they should automatically get installed for you. You can probably also search and maybe find them. 

 

Melissa Piccone | Adobe Trainer | Online Courses Author | Fine Artist
Ged_Traynor
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 22, 2025

@RichardClarke have you checked the Patterns panel via Window > Patterns