Edit in Photoshop doesn't work!

[Steve200756]

I have the latest version of both Lightroom CC Classic and Photoshop and when I am in Lightroom the "Edit in Photoshop" option simply does nothing.

Before you tell me to resinstal Photoshop I have now done this TWICE with no effect. It's driving me a bit nuts I have to admit. Something so basic simply doesn't work!

Help

Stephen

[Sahil.Chawla]

Hi Steve,

We're sorry to hear about this, could you please let us know what operating system you're working on?

Also, are there more than one version of Photoshop installed on your system? Which image format are you working on?

Could you please try deselecting "Use Graphics Processor" located in Lightroom's Preferences > Performance, then relaunch Lightroom and let us know if it helps?

Regards,
Sahil

[Steve200756]

Hi, thanks for coming back to me.

Only one version of Photoshop as far as I can tell

I'm working on Canon CR2 files on LR Classic on a MAC running 10.13.6

Graphics processor is off already

[JohanElzenga]

I mean the version numbers you use, like Lightroom Classic 7.4. ​Not the number of versions...

[Steve200756]

Sorry, but id thought I said on my original post that I am running the most recent of both LR & PS, so that's PS 19.1.5 and LR 7.4 (camera RAW 10.4) does that help??

[DdeGannes]

Unfortunately it is very prevalent, in this forum, that users say they have the latest version and it eventually turns out not to be the case.

One thing you can try if you do not see a warning dialog, go to Lightroom preferences in the general tab and select “reset all warning dialogs”.

Then try again an see if you get a pop up dialog. Lr may be waiting for you to respond.

[JohanElzenga]

The usual questions: Mac or Windows? What versions of Lr Classic and Photoshop? What versions of the OS?

[Rob_Cullen · Accepted solution]

Hi,

"Edit in Photoshop" option simply does nothing.

"Edit In" will not work if the original files are not available to Lightroom. This could be because the photos are 'missing'  (to use LR language), or you are only working with Smart Previews (originals disconnected).

These two situations though usually present with the "Edit In" menu item greyed out.

Do you have Photoshop running (in the background) when you select a file to "Edit In" PS?

[Abdulaziz Y]

Thank you! I had forgotten I started editing photos off of my external SSD and was only simply editing the Smart Previews, now that I reconnected my SSD, everything is working as it should. Thank you Rob!

[debbiem82005972]

This forum says this question has been answered but sadly it has not. I see several forums with this issue and not a single one of the solutions has worked which to me says it is a problem with Adobe otherwise why does it keep resurfacing?

• My images are available on a hard drive, which is not a raid system. I tried moving them to the internal and it still doesn't work.
• macOS is High Sierra 10.13.6.
• Photoshop CC 2019 and Lightroom Classic CC both completed updated according to Adobe Creative Cloud tool.

I've restarted my Mac including clearing the PRAM.

Open as a Smart Object works but I want to use tools like clone and spot healing which don't work on a Smart Object.

Edit in Photoshop launches Photoshop if it isn't already open and then nothing.

I've reset all warning dialogs — has not helped.

Performance > Camera Raw > Use Graphics Processor is selected — was already selected so I tried deselecting it which didn't help so I selected it again with still no results.

I tried selecting Edit in Analog Efex Pro 2, even though I never bought it the option is still there from when I downloaded it to try it. I see "preparing file for editing." I get a dialog box for options and it looks like it is going to work as I'm told my trial has expired and gives me an option to buy.

I still have an old copy of Photoshop CS5 so I selected that as an external editor. Again I see preparing file for editing and then a window comes up for Download Java for legacy applications.

This last attempt definitely shows it is something with Photoshop CC otherwise why would it appear to be connecting the file with other applications but not the CC that we have to pay a subscription for and is supposed to be integrated. These issues popping up with "upgrades" are why I can't recommend Photoshop to anyone who doesn't already use it.

[JohanElzenga]

If ‘Open as Smart Object’ does work, then the solution to your problem is easy. Use ’open as smart object’ to send the image to Photoshop. Then in Photoshop select ‘Layer - Flatten Image’.

[debbiem82005972]

You need to re-read what I wrote. I said Open as Smart Object does work but not for certain tools. I shouldn't have to "flatten image" if the Edit in Photoshop worked so I didn't have to use "Smart Object." There is a reason a Smart Object is a Smart Object and if you flatten the image you then end up having another image in Lightroom instead of having an edited, original image.

[JohanElzenga]

No, I don’t have to re-read anything. You misunderstand what I am saying. If you open the image as a smart object and then immediately, before doing anything else, choose ‘flatten image’, then the following happens. The smart object will be rendered as background layer, including the Lightroom edits. That is exactly the same as what you would get when you use the normal ‘edit in Photoshop’ menu! I suggested this as a work-around, because you said that ‘edit in Photoshop’ does not work, but ‘open as smart object’ does work.

Of course it would be better to find the cause of the problem and fix that. But until then, try this and you will see that it will work fine.

[debbiem82005972]

If I was the only person with this problem I probably would do as you suggest but I'm not the only person who has reported this so it is definitely something on Adobe's side. I've seen it for both Windows and Mac.

Again, my issue is not with finding a way to edit in Photoshop it is the difference between having one file in Lightroom or two files in Lightroom. I want one file which means Edit in Photoshop, not Open as Smart Object. Adobe says it themselves in their documentation. Adobe Lightroom prepares the file so it can come back to Lightroom. It doesn't do that as a Smart Object and the minute you flatten it you have to save and import a new file into Lightroom.

[JohanElzenga]

I am afraid you still don’t understand. If you use ‘edit in Photoshop’ you will get an extra (tiff or psd) file in Lightroom. That always happens, you can’t and won’t edit the raw file itself. If you use ‘open as smart object in Photoshop’ and then flatten the image, you will get EXACTLY THE SAME RESULT. You also do not have to import anything again.

I am the author of books about Lightroom 1 throug 8, and about Photoshop, so I do know how this works. If you can read Dutch, I will be happy to send you a link to the Apple Bookstore or Google Playstore.

[McBuff]

Same here. . ."Edit in Photoshop" is just plain goofy now with the new updates. I'm sure its a bug in the new updates. 

[TheDigitalDog]

---

@McBuff wrote:

Same here. . ."Edit in Photoshop" is just plain goofy now with the new updates. I'm sure its a bug in the new updates. 

---

It works fine for many of us but yes, the 'link' between the two (LR and PS) can get wonky. 

The soution is usually to uninstall both PS and LR (keep preferences, you'll be asked). Then install Photoshop first. Then Lightroom Classic. 

[Samuel_The_Lamanite]

I am having this same issue, it's nothing to do with flatten images or error logs or what solutions that have been presented in this forum so far. For me I am operating Windows 10 using Nikon RAW files. I have tried bother Lightroom 2019 CC and Lightroom Classic CC. All files are present on the computer's local hard drive. What makes this problem more interesting is that I can edit some photos, but I cannot edit others. It's entirely random as to which photos I can and cannot edit. I suspect something is wrong client side rather than User side. This problem began for me during the first release of Lightroom 2019 but since it only affected a few photos that I didn't care much for anyway I ignored it. Now it's too prevalent for me to ignore as all photos are experiencing this problem regardless as to which Lightroom program is being used.

[Thu5E1F]

I'm always having issues iwtht his and its absolutley infurating, sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt. Sort it out adoe! Its 2022 for goodness sake

[duckbillandmole]

It's 2023 now, and I got the same problem too. Still trying to fix it. 😞

[duckbillandmole]

My problem is even more frustrating. When I click Image Processor in Bridge, Photoshop just opened without other response. Edit in feature in LIghtroom got the same issue too. I've contacted support team and tried uninstall all the app but nothing helped. Super frustrated.

[DdeGannes]

@duckbillandmole , could you please indicate the Version number (numerical) of LrC and PS you are using? Also the Operating System version number you have installed?

[Rob_Cullen]

@duckbillandmole  I do not understand your workflow.

Where do you "click Image Processor in Bridge" ? I thought Image Processor was a script the runs 'within' Photoshop (after an image appears in Ps). Educate me.

"Edit in feature in Lightroom got the same issue too." What issue?  If you are sending a rendered file (JPG, TIF, PSD) to Ps from LrC, then Lightroom-Classic will give you a dialog for "Original" or a "Copy", and then 'open' directly in Ps without other response.

If you are sending a raw (proprietary) file to Ps from LrC it will open without any other response whatsoever. (The raw file is rendered 'silently' by ACR without any visible window.)

[duckbillandmole]

Thank you guys, but I decided to give up after spending hours contacting Adobe support and trying their suggestions. I'll bypass that feature to save my time. I just left that message so Adobe knows there are still problems. I hope it will disappear magically in next update.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

You’ve posted to a very old thread. It is highly unlikely that the issue described in this thread, though not impossible, is the same issue which you are currently experiencing. Rather than resurrect an old thread that is seemingly similar, you are better posting to a new thread with fresh, complete information including system information, a complete description of the problem and step-by-step instructions for reproduction. 

In the unlikely event the issue is the same, we will merge you back into the appropriate location. 

Thank you!