Bridge 2023 odd behaviour: it quits every time I close the window

Report · Feb 11, 2023

Mac OS 13.2 on a Mac Studio and Mac Mini 2020 with Bridge 2023 version 13.0.2.636 and PS 24.1.1

Hello,

As per my subject line, every time I close the Bridge window on my Macs (Red dot, upper left side of the Bridge window), Bridge actually closes instead of just closing the window and staying open. That behaviour only affects Bridge not Photoshop. I have to restart Bridge every time to continue working. If I only minimize the window (orange dot), everything continues to work as intended.

I have uninstalled/ re-installed Bridge several times but the behavior persists. Having used both on other machines (at work) without this behaviour, I believe I am missing a file/folder somewhere in my OS (possibly after cleaning my files with CleanMyMac X at some point).

Any suggestion appreciated.

Thanks

T

Report · Feb 12, 2023

Right now, it's working as designed.

I believe the other machines you've used that do not quit after closing the window were using Bridge 2022 or earlier. This issue shows up ONLY with bridge 2013.

During the big upgrade to version 13, they went to a one-window-only dynamic with multiple Content Tabs. At the same time, they also programmed in the dynamic that if that one window is closed, the application quits.

This is not exclusive to Bridge; I'm aware of a number of applications that also do this. SilverFast scanning software, All of Topaz's suite of image enhancement applications, and others. Why this is done, I do not know, but it is done.

Supposedly and hopefully, Adobe is going to bring back multiple windows, but there is no released timetable for that. Adobe is amazingly good at keeping things like this secret.

Here is a basic rundown on how to use multiple Content Tabs; I hope this helps you.

If you look at the Content Panel, note the hamburger menu on the right-hand side (three horizontal lines). To the left of the Hamburger menu, you'll see a plus (+) (red arrow). If you click on that, you'll get a new Content Panel. If you click on the option in the Hamburger menu for a new Content Panel (green arrow), you'll also get a new Content Panel.

The primary disadvantage of these two options currently is that either will default to a "home" position and are not likely to provide access to the folder you want. Fortunately, for any Content Panel that is active (note the blue square and blue line circling the Panel), if you go to the Recent icon in the icons on top, if you select a folder from there, it will open up in that Content Panel.

Likewise, if you select a folder from the Folders Panel. In addition, if you take an image or a folder and drag it to the Bridge icon in the Dock, THAT folder will open in the active Content Panel. Hopefully, soon they will provide both "Open" and "Recent" options in the Hamburger menu.

If you have a folder with other sub-folders, you can always right-click on one of the subfolders, and it can be opened in a new Content Panel

Once you have two or more Content Panels, you can drag from one to the other by simply mouse-down on an image (or all selected images), then move the mouse up to the title area of the other Content Panel to make it the active Panel and release. IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE before you do anything, then Comand/Control-z and you'll be good.

Note also that extra Content Panels can be placed and/or moved to any other location in the Bridge window.

I hope this explains some of the new workflows available to you.

Report · Feb 13, 2023

Hi Gary,

Thank you very much for your detailed answer. If that is the case I will simply have to learn to minimize my Bridge window (orange button) instead of closing it (red one) as I have done all these years. Re-opening Bridge each time doesn't take much time so it is not a huge deal, just bad design in my opinion.

I was more concerned that I had accidentally deleted some Adobe files after extensively cleaning my machines with CleanMyMac X (the full version, not the one from the Mac app store), which allows you to have access to files that you normally do not have access to when unclutering your machines.

In any case, thank you again and to all the others who also answered my post.

T

Report · Mar 27, 2023

Yes , Adobe Bridge 2023 on Big Sur quits app when i close window using red button. Adobe Bridge 2022 on Mojave doesn't quit on close. It's a pain the the @sS that the updated app behaves like this, and I do sincerely hope Adobe fix this asap. Bridge was a great little app, but its lost my favour with latest update.

Report · Mar 31, 2023

I hope Adobe sorts this, it is a pain

Report · May 30, 2023

This problem is also driving me nuts - I've been using bridge for years so it's hard to retrain myself to minimize rather than close the window - and the fact that this is different behavior from all the other apps. PLEASE FIX THIS!!

Report · Jun 20, 2023

I too hope Adobe fixes this issue as it is a huge pain to have to reopen it every time. Plus I wish they would work out the bugs that are causing it to crash ALL the time.