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CrankshaftStudio
Participating Frequently
February 14, 2023
Question

Photoshop not releasing scratch disk space

  • February 14, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 3000 views

Hi - apologies if this question exists. I ran a search and only found one post about it from 2017.

 

I am running PS 24.1.1 and Mac OS Ventura 13.2

When I edit images, Photoshop keeps eating up scratch disk space but then doesn't release it. I start with 160GB available on my local HD and after a few edits to a few images it's down to 20GB available. Some of the files are large, so I kind of understand. But when I save down and close the images, only a small fraction of the space is released - i.e. there is now 25GB available. Purge All does not help if it's even available (it grays out if no images are open of course). The only way to get all of the space back is to completely quit out of PS and relaunch. Then all of a sudden there is 158GB (2gigs used by the image for example - normal).

 

With the larger files I am working with them one at a time, so I would expect the space to be released when I save and close. But that is not the case and causes save errors after a few images due to the scratch disk being full, even though it is not full.

 

Is this a known issue or is anyone else experiencing this? It gets frustrating when I'm working on multiple images and then I'm out of space and can't save down even though there is plenty of space available. Any input is much appreciated.

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    1 reply

    Kevin Stohlmeyer
    Community Expert
    Kevin StohlmeyerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 14, 2023

    That is expected behavior for Photoshop - Scratch Disks do not completely release until the application is quit.

    And you are also correct 160 GB is not enough Scratch Disk space - try getting some SSD externals with USB-C connections for storage to free up your main HD.

      C
      CrankshaftStudioAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      February 15, 2023

      So you're saying that everytime you edit, save and close a large image (say 20GB), you have to quit photoshop completely before you can edit the next one unless you have TBs of free space - and that is normal to you?

       

      I've never had that happen on any previous version of Photoshop (since Photoshop 4 in the 90s). Everytime when I've saved and closed I would get my space back. This just started happening for me when I installed 2023.

      Trevor.Dennis
      Community Expert
      Trevor.DennisCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      February 15, 2023

      I don't know how far back this goes, but it is certainly way back before the current version.  Yes, it is annoying, and you don't even clear the temp files using Edit > Purge > All.

       

      I have 64Gb RAM and never see the full Photoshop allocated RAM com close to being completely used.  Right now I have nothing open, and a 7Gb temp file with today's date.  Go figure.  I can see anything up to 200Gb of temp files over several files.

       

      Note: temp files become orphaned if Photoshop does not shut down properly, so it is worth checking the root directory of your scratch drives periodically.  I invariably find Photoshop temp files with old dates on them.  

       

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