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Chris25388156703h
Participant
March 20, 2024
Question

Select Subject in Photoshop Version 25.6 Not working properly

  • March 20, 2024
  • 7 replies
  • 4163 views

I've tried multiple photos of people on a white background and the select subject is not selecting the person. I had no issues yesterday. I did do an update today and I already tried uninstalling and reinstalling Photoshop but that didn't work. 

 

I'm on a 2019 16-inch Macbook Pro. 

 

Any other suggestions? I'm at a loss. 

    7 replies

    R
    Rick CSC
    Participant
    May 19, 2025

    I have a PC and the Select Subject will not work at all for me. It now selects just completely random areas of the image, even when the image consists of a blurred background and a single person in the foreground.

    R
    Rick CSC
    Participant
    May 19, 2025

    Attached is another example. From a previous post, it was suggested that I try to mask all objects from the layers menu. So I did and picked the one the seemed to include the subject (after I inverted the mask) and the attached file shows what I got. The selection around the man's head is poor, part of his left arm is missing, part of a light in the background was selected, as was the laptop and desk. NOTE: I AM USING PHOTOSHOP BETA BECAUSE OF THE AI FEATURES. AND WHEN I SWITCH TO NORMAL PHOTOSHOP, THE SELECT SUBJECT WORKS AS EXPECTED. SO THAT WOULD INDICATE THE LATEST PHOTOSHOP BETA RELEASE IS BROKEN.

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 20, 2025
    quote

    SO THAT WOULD INDICATE THE LATEST PHOTOSHOP BETA RELEASE IS BROKEN.

    Then please post on the appropriate Forum, this Forum is dedicated to Photoshop, not Photoshop (Beta). 

    https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-beta/ct-p/ct-photoshop-beta?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=en&tabid=all

    tudabuddha
    tudabuddha
    Participant
    March 14, 2025

    Changing the Image processing preference to Cloud (detailed results ) worked for me

      C
      Chito34789832dk5u
      Participant
      December 19, 2024

      I started experiencing the same issue today and it's driving me nuts. I still haven't found the answer to fix this. Anyone?

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      December 19, 2024

      Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

       

      What have you done for all-purpose trouble-shooting so far?
      Restoring Preferences after making sure all customized presets like Actions, Patterns, Brushes etc. have been saved might be a good starting point:
      https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html
      https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/basic-trouble-shooting-steps.html
      https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/troubleshoot-gpu-graphics-card.html

      2
      226427066ja3
      Participant
      October 22, 2024

       

      Select Object function stopped working properly since the last v 26 Photoshop updates. I've tried all the settings in this thread, also with previous versions. All I get is a full board selection no matter where I choose the selection command from.

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 11, 2024

      The screenshots would be more helpful if they included the pertinent Panels. 

      Select Subject seems to work on the image here. 

       

      What are the Preferences settings? 

      Does the Object Selection Tool identify separate units in the image? 

      T
      TransMedia Fox
      Participant
      July 31, 2024

      I'm also getting a whole image selection. I have a client waiting on a background color update, and this is killing me.  

       

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      August 1, 2024

      Please provide meaningful information and screenshots to illustrate the issue. 

      S
      Soumyadip29691613q16d
      Participant
      November 11, 2024

      I am also getting same problem. It is not able to select the subject. 

       

      chadk93115389
      chadk93115389
      Participant
      April 23, 2024

      Did you ever figure this one out? I am having an issue with the same feature, but instead of selecting the whole picture as it appears to be doing in your case, mine has been selecting only partial subjects in a very illogical way (or removes part of the subject when using remove background). I have also tried multiple methods including running the tool from Cloud and Device and while the over selection varies to minor degrees, can not get it to select the whole subject for the life of me.

       

      The images I am currently working with are product images already post-processed and put onto white backgrounds and with fairly clear edges, so you would think it would be fairly easy to press the remove background button and be done with it...

       

      I don't recall having this much issue with this in the past, so perhaps some recent change made has caused the tool to not work as well??

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      April 27, 2024

      Could you post sample images (feel free to black out details except the edges)? 

       

      quote

      The images I am currently working with are product images already post-processed and put onto white backgrounds

      That seems like a problematic workflow; if someone has taken the trouble of clipping objects/persons from an image flattening them and thus destroying the existing transparency/mask seems imprudent and they should simply provide a png or the leayered psd/tif. 

      chadk93115389
      chadk93115389
      Participant
      April 30, 2024
      quote

      Could you post sample images (feel free to black out details except the edges)? 

      I will have to screenshot some with my next project. I have ended up just using the Magic Wand tool as this classic seems to stil handle these type of simple selections best.

       

      quote

       

      That seems like a problematic workflow; if someone has taken the trouble of clipping objects/persons from an image flattening them and thus destroying the existing transparency/mask seems imprudent and they should simply provide a png or the leayered psd/tif. 

      It is what it is. Our supplier has given us FTP with their product images which I use to create other assets. Easier then re-taking and having to post each one...

       

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 21, 2024

      Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

      What is Help > GPU Compatibility? 

      C
      Chris25388156703hAuthor
      Participant
      March 21, 2024

      I've attached a screenshot showing what is happening when I click on "select subject." It no longer selects the subject, as you can see. I also included a screenshot of the GPU compatbility.

        c.pfaffenbichler
        Community Expert
        c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        March 21, 2024

        Do you trigger from the Options Bar, the Properties Panel, the Menu (Select > Subject)?

        Do they all yield the same result? 

         

        What have you done for all-purpose trouble-shooting so far?
        Restoring Preferences after making sure all customized presets like Actions, Patterns, Brushes etc. have been saved might be a good starting point:
        https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html
        https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/basic-trouble-shooting-steps.html
        https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/troubleshoot-gpu-graphics-card.html

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