Skip to main content
Participating Frequently
February 8, 2018
Answered

Plugins

  • February 8, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 6897 views

Does anyone know how to install plugins into PSE 2018? I can install one plugin at a time using Photo Edit's preferences menu by selecting Plugins and then Choose. Trouble is this action only lets me use one plugin at a time. I need to install and keep several plugins. If this question has already been answered, please let me know where to find it. Many thanks.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Jeff Arola

    Jeff,

    No, your central folder suggestion doesn't work. The trouble is, I think, is that I'm working with PSE 2018 from the cloud. Consequently, I can't figure out (1) how to get plugins to work, nor (2) can I figure out how to uninstall PSE 2018 in order to download a version that is not in the cloud. Interesting problem to a Luddite like me, who simply wants to stick with what's familiar.


    It's not a "cloud" program, but a program from the Microsoft store.

    Here's how to uninstall Microsoft store apps:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028003/windows-10-uninstall-apps-and-programs

    If you want a version of photoshop elements that is easier to install plugins, you want the pse 2018 version from adobe.

    https://www.adobe.com/products/elements-family.html?promoid=V2XYKZ3B&mv=other

    The problem with apps from the microsoft store is they are "sandboxed" so they are not like regular windows programs, where one has access to them.

    https://www.howtogeek.com/243559/why-desktop-apps-arent-available-in-the-windows-store-yet/

    2 replies

    Participant
    August 13, 2020

    Did you ever get your problem resolved? I am having the same problem. I have PSE 2020 from Adobe. I have multiple Topaz products with PSE plugin support for PSE. However I find I can only install one plugin at a time. In Edit>Preferences->Plug-ins I can only add a single additional folder. I can add the folder for, say, Topaz Sharpener, but then when I try to add the folder for Topaz Mask, I overwrite the foler for Topaz Sharpener. One or the other works alone, but I can't get both folders recognized by PSE at the same time. By the way, the Topaz plugin folders are in two different Topaz folders. They are not in the Adobe plugin folder.

    Walter_H
    Legend
    August 14, 2020

    Hello Mark,

     

    I also have PSE 2020. I do not have Topaz, but I have purchased several "plug-ins" from a few different sources. I have never tried to install a plug-in via the Edit>Preferences->Plug-ins route. Each and every one of them came as a Windows EXE file that I ran outside of Elements to install the plug-in. They all work perfectly in Elements when I select any one of them from the Elements menus. Most of these plug-ins have their files in folders that are outside of the Adobe file structure.

     

    --Walter in Davie, FL
    Participant
    August 14, 2020

    Thanks for the reply. For Topaz products, there is a PS_Plugins_x64 folder in each of their Windows 10 installed folders. Inside are two or three files with a .8li or 8bf extension. There are no .exe extensions. So, I know of no way to install these plugins outside of PSE 2020 itself, and then, like I said, I can have only one plugin installed at any one time.

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 9, 2018

    What operating system are you using?

    Participating Frequently
    February 9, 2018

    Windows 10. Sorry, should have said earlier.

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 10, 2018

    Usually one installs the plugins using the installer that came with the plugin to the pse 2018 plugins folder at

    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2018\Plug-Ins

    Other ways are to copy the relevant plugins from your earlier version of photoshop elements to the pse 208 plugins folder

    or

    create a shortcut to where the other plugins are and place the shortcut in the pse 2018 plugins folder.

    One thing to keep in mind is that pse 2018 requires 64 bit plugins and most likely won't work with plugins from 32 bit pse versions.