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November 26, 2025
Answered

Scratch Disk full only for one file?

  • November 26, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 143 views

The file in question is 90.7 mb, and i can open files much larger than it is without a problem. Is there a workaround for this somehow?

Correct answer MassC

Hey! @Jonart3

Scratch disk can be due to several reasons. Please check out this article and try some of the troubleshooting steps:  https://adobe.ly/4ackHn6


Let us know if this helps. 

^CM

3 replies

D Fosse
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 27, 2025

Linked smart objects?

Conrad_C
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 27, 2025

How soon the scratch disk is full does not just depend on the size of the open document. It’s the size of the open document relative to the amount of free space on the scratch disk.

 

For example, if a scratch disk has 100GB of free space, a 90MB file might not fill it up. However, if the same scratch disk has only 5GB or 10GB of free space, there is a possibility that is not enough space for the needed scratch file size.

 

Similarly, if a scratch disk has 500GB of free space that might be enough for most files, but if an extremely large Photoshop document is opened such as one that is 300GB or 600GB, documents of that size may requires a scratch disk with more than 500GB of free space. 

 

So the question is, how much free space is on the scratch disk you’re trying to use?

 


@Jonart3 wrote:

Is there a workaround for this somehow?


 

Yes, there is a workaround. If my laptop has too little free space for the size of document I am trying to edit, I connect an fast external SSD with lots of free space and assign that as the primary scratch disk in Photsohop Preferences > Scratch Disks, and then restart Photoshop. Then it all works again. This is why Photoshop allows assigning multiple scratch disks in a ranked priority list.

MassC
MassCCorrect answer
Legend
November 27, 2025

Hey! @Jonart3

Scratch disk can be due to several reasons. Please check out this article and try some of the troubleshooting steps:  https://adobe.ly/4ackHn6


Let us know if this helps. 

^CM