P: Lens Blur not working since updating to LR 15

[Macsharp]

My lens blur only works very occassionaly since updating and now almost never. It sometimes worked if I restarted but not any longer. Very frustrating.

Any help would be appreciated. 

Lightroom Classic version: 15.0.1 [ 202511041508-dddee541 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en-NZ
Operating system: Mac OS 26
Version: 26.1.0 [25B78]
Application architecture: arm64
Logical processor count: 14
Processor speed: NA
SqLite Version: 3.36.0
Adobe GSDK Version: 1.4.0.171

Built-in memory: 24,576.0 MB
Dedicated GPU memory used by Lightroom: 2,833.1MB / 18,186.2MB (15%)
Real memory available to Lightroom: 24,576.0 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 5,283.4 MB (21.4%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 439,435.3 MB
Memory cache size: 55.6MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 18.0 [ 2389 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 3303MB / 12287MB (26%)
Camera Raw real memory: 3454MB / 24576MB (14%)

Cache1:
Final1- RAM:3,341.0MB, VRAM:0.0MB, IMG_3185.DNG
NT- RAM:3,341.0MB, VRAM:0.0MB, Combined:3,341.0MB

Cache2:
m:55.6MB, n:383.3MB

U-main: 150.0MB

Standard Preview Size: 2048 pixels
Displays: 1) 4608x2592

Graphics Processor Info:
Metal: Apple M4 Pro
Init State: GPU for Export supported by default
User Preference: Auto
Enable HDR in Library: ON
GPU for Preview Generation: Auto (S5_17)

Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: /Users/stevensharp/Pictures/Lightroom/Steven/Stevens-v14-2024.lrcat
Settings Folder: /Users/stevensharp/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) Canon Print Studio Pro
3) SmugMug
4) Topaz Photo (Studio)
5) Topaz Photo AI

Config.lua flags:

[DdeGannes]

Make sure you shut down your computer after updating your driver. Then reboot the computer.

[OrganicMomentsTX]

I, too, am having this problem. It shows the blur effect in the navigator section but not in the actual section I’m editing in. It was working a couple of days ago, then it just stopped. It’s annoying having to export the photo just to check, then make adjustments. 

[johnrellis]

There have been a number of reports about Lens Blur failure in LR 15, but so far nothing wrapped up with a bow that Adobe can easily reproduce. They're much less likely to pay attention unless many people report similar symptoms.

1. Attach a full-resolution screenshot (not a phone pic) of the *entire* LR window while in Develop showing Lens Blur not working on a photo.

2. With the photo selected, go to Library and do Metadata > Save Metadata To File.

3. Share the photo (and it's raw, its .xmp sidecar) here. If the forum won't let you attach the files here, upload them to Wetransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive or similar free service and post the sharing link here.

[two miles5336627]

doesnt make any difference- the bug is still there. 

[two miles5336627]

@Sameer K any update to fixing this lens blur bug? 

[Sameer K]

Hey, @two miles5336627. In this thread, other users have reported that restarting Lightroom Classic helps. 

If it does not help, you can try creating a test catalog from File > New Catalog and importing a few images to verify if the issue appears in the new catalog. 

If it does not, from within the new catalog, you can use File > Import from catalog, point to your previous catalog, and proceed to merge the old catalog into the new test catalog. 

Let me know how it goes. Thanks!
Sameer K
(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

[emilz45253183]

This appers to be a widespread issue. It doies not reqiure PhD to reproduce. Maybe Adobe should hire some QA staff and do some testing. But I guess forcing the AI on all of us is just more profitable. What a laughable company, 

[marieps]

I have the same effects with Apple M1 Max and Mac OS 15.6. Sometimes it works, somethimes it doesn't.

In Camera Raw it works fine. 

[marieps]

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

In Camera Raw it works fine. 

It should be easy to reproduce. 

[JohanElzenga]

Things that 'sometimes work' and 'sometimes don't work' are not easy, but often hard to reproduce! I tried reproducing it on my MBP with the same specs as your Mac Studio:  M1 Max , Sequioa 15.6, but I can't. Lens Blur works every time I try it.

[johnrellis]

@emilz45253183: "This appers to be a widespread issue. It doies not reqiure PhD to reproduce. "

There are indeed a fair number of reports here about flaky Lens Blur in LR 15. But so far, no one has published a recipe for triggering the bug(s) reliably on other installations. Without such a recipe, Adobe is unlikely to pay much attention, unless many more people report the problems (don't blame the messenger).  I've tried reproducing the problem in my Mac and Windows installations, without success.a 

See above for providing a reproducible test case:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/lens-blur-not-working-since-updating-to...

[stephanie_1314]

@Sameer K  Nothing has seemed to fix or remedy this problem. This is killing my workflow having to close and come back in to see the changes. Do Adobe engineers have any ideas when this will be fixed?

[S.Seng]

I am also having same issue with Lightroom for iPad 9paid version) current and previous versions. 

[jkborys]

When I apply the lens blur affect, then switch to the remove tool to remove something that is not quite blurred out. When I leave the remove tool, the lens blur is not showing even though the apply checkbox is checked. If I restart lightroom, it comes back after restart without any action on my part. I am using Sequoia 15.7.2 and Lightroom Class 15.0.1
This did not occur in earlier versions of LRC.

[JohanElzenga]

I can't check it right now because I type this on my iPad, but Lens Blur creates a mask. If you remove something from the image, that mask will have to be recalculated. I think you should therefore see a yellow warning icon at the top of the right panel. Click on it to update the mask.

[johnrellis]

Using the Remove tool causes Lens Blur settings to stop displaying in Develop Loupe, for all photos. Typing Q twice (to open and close the Remove panel) or restarting LR fixes the problem.  This is obviously a LR 15.0 glitch in the logic that disables the display of lens blur while in the Remove panel -- the bug doesn't occur in LR 14.5.1.

Tested on LR 15.0.1 / Mac OS 15.7.1 and Windows 11. Steps to reproduce (also see the attached screen recording):

1. In Develop, Apply Lens Blur to a photo, adjusting the focus range and amount to be very noticeable.

2. Edit another photo.

3. Go to the Remove tool, uncheck Use Generative AI, and remove something from the photo.

4. Click the Remove button to close the Remove panel.

5. Go back to the first photo and observe that the previously applied lens blur is not displayed in the main Loupe view (incorrect) but is displayed in the Navigator window (correct).

6. Go to Library Loupe view and observe that the lens blur is displayed (correct).

7. Go back to Develop and observe lens blur is still not displayed.

8. Type Q twice to open and close the Remove panel. Observe that lens blur is now displayed in Develop Loupe (correct).

[johnrellis]

@jkborys: "When I apply the lens blur affect, then switch to the remove tool to remove something that is not quite blurred out. When I leave the remove tool, the lens blur is not showing even though the apply checkbox is checked."

Thanks for that observation -- in LR 15.0.1, using the Remove tool breaks the display of Lens Blur settings in Develop for all photos regardless if they have Remove applied. A simple workaround is to type Q twice to open and close the Remove panel; alternatively, restart LR.  This bug probably accounts for many, if not most, of the reports here about Lens Blur in LR 15.

See this bug report:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/using-the-remove-tool-stops-the-display...

[johnrellis]

Also, thanks to @jkborys for the initial observation of the link with Remove.

[johnrellis]

Also, thanks to @Barryvcns for a similar observation above.

[johnrellis]

@Rikk Flohr: Photography, please consider moving to Bugs.

[nikunj.m]

Thanks for reporting this John! 

I'm able to reproduce the behavior so I've moved the conversation to bugs. Please stay tuned. 

Thanks,
Nikunj

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

This was reported to the team and is scheduled for fix in the next update. 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Greetings all, 

A new update for the Adobe Photography products has been released.  The December release contains an update regarding this issue. 

If you do not see the update in your Creative Cloud Application, you can refresh it by pressing  [Ctrl/Cmd]+[Alt/Opt]+[ R ].

Note: It may take up to 24 hours for your update to be available in your Creative Cloud app.

Thank you for being so patient.