Masking and Preference Issues

[Lada Jensen]

I have been having this issue for months now in Lightroom Classic. Every once in a while, I will try to create a mask and it simply just doesn't register. I click to create one and it won't create one, and it doesn't matter what kind of mask. I have shared remote access with multiple adobe agents, who will reset my preferences, and then assure me my problem is fixed. It is usually fixed for a little while, but then will pop up again. It came to a point where I had to beg for the phone number over chat just to talk to someone over the phone. Even then, it took me six tries calling the number before I reached anyone. And then that person was being difficult when I kindly asked to speak to a supervisor just to get a second set of eyes on the issue over the phone. There's more I could complain about with adobe support.

Anywho, I'm having the issue again and following the same steps the last agent did. I go to preferences in finder and change the CC7. plist file to CC7.old.plist. Then I quit lightroom and try again. Still nothing. I optimize my catalog, to no avail.

Now it's at the point I will follow the instructions, the masks will work for one photo, and then not the next. I'm so tired of this problem and not being connected to support that actually will help me or seem like they know what they're doing. Help!!! I'm attaching a screen recording of my issue. I'm a wedding photographer with seven large galleries to edit and I just don't have the time or patience anymore to be dealing with this problem and the lack of true support from Adobe.

My version of Lightroom: 15.0.1

iMac Info: Tahoe 26.1

I have plenty of storage on my disk and hard drives. My iMac is less than a year old with 32 GB memory. I'm not a computer wiz by any means but something has to be off. Someone please help!

[johnrellis]

Please do the LR menu command Help > System Info and copy/paste the entire contents here so we can see exactly which versions of hardware and software LR thinks you're running and important LR options that are set.

[Lada Jensen]

Lightroom Classic version: 15.0.1 [ 202511041508-dddee541 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en-US
Operating system: Mac OS 26
Version: 26.1.0 [25B78]
Application architecture: arm64
Logical processor count: 10
Processor speed: NA
SqLite Version: 3.36.0
Adobe GSDK Version: 1.4.0.171

Built-in memory: 32,768.0 MB
Dedicated GPU memory used by Lightroom: 7,425.8MB / 25,559.0MB (29%)
Real memory available to Lightroom: 32,768.0 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 4,284.7 MB (13.0%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 432,605.6 MB
Memory cache size: 1,716.3MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 18.0 [ 2389 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 625MB / 16383MB (3%)
Camera Raw real memory: 722MB / 32768MB (2%)

Cache1:
Final1- RAM:629.0MB, VRAM:4,312.0MB, GM3A1273.CR3
NT- RAM:629.0MB, VRAM:4,312.0MB, Combined:4,941.0MB

Cache2:
m:1,716.3MB, n:352.3MB

U-main: 84.0MB

Standard Preview Size: 4480 pixels
Displays: 1) 4480x2520

Graphics Processor Info:
Metal: Apple M4
Init State: GPU for Export supported by default
User Preference: GPU for Export enabled
Enable HDR in Library: OFF
GPU for Preview Generation: On (S5_24)

Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: /Volumes/T7 Photo 3/Lightroom Catalogs/Zapata Wedding Full/Zapata Wedding Full - HE.lrcat
Settings Folder: /Users/ladadoukhnai/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) Aperture/iPhoto Importer Plug-in
3) Flickr
4) Narrative

Config.lua flags:

[johnrellis]

Thanks for the System Info and screen recording -- that level of detail helps.

The System Info looks normal, no clues there. I don't recall reading other reports with the symptoms shown in your screen recording.

1. Are you using a tablet/stylus?  I don't see any indication of that in the System Info. Infrequently, a misbehaving pointing device can do really strange things.  It seems unlikely to cause your symptoms, but it's simple enough to try a different device, e.g. a different mouse.

2. I'm assuming you create a new catalog for each new project, and that the catalog shown in System Info was created recently for that wedding?  

3. Is /Volumes/T7 Photo 3 locally attached (via cable) or a network volume?

4. Try creating a new catalog on the local Macintosh HD disk rather than an external disk.  If that works, then we can investigate permissions, hardware, or network issues with the external disk.  Creating a new catalog would be a little better than moving the existing catalog folder, since it's remotely plausible that disk issues have corrupted the current catalog.

* * * 

Adobe customer support is good for solving very routine, common issues, but not so good with problems like yours.

[Lada Jensen]

Thanks for responding! To answer your questions:

1. No, I am editing on an iMac. I've used another mouse and had the same issue. The adobe agents who I've shared my screen with had the same problem.

2. I do create a new catalog for every wedding. But I've had this issue across multiple catalogs.

3. T7 Photo 3 is locally attached via cable.

4. I'll try creating a test catalog on the Macintosh HD disk, but I would prefer to store my work on my external disks.

Thank you for your help I'll reply with an update shortly!

[Lada Jensen]

Update: I created a test catalog on the Macintosh HD disk. It was fine for a little bit but is now not working. Same issue as in the video.

[johnrellis]

"I'll try creating a test catalog on the Macintosh HD disk, but I would prefer to store my work on my external disks."

Understood, this is just a diagnostic to narrow down the problem.

Building on @drtonyb's good observation, see here for reliable ways of resetting preferences, while giving you the option to recover the old ones if resetting doesn't work:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/articles-page/how-do-i-reset-lightrooms-preferences/

[johnrellis]

At this point, I only have a couple hail-mary suggestions that infrequently help difficult cases:

1. Ensure LR is granted Full Disk Access (not Files And Folders) permission:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/quick-tips-how-to-give-full-disk-access...

This was often necessary several years ago but rarely helps in the last couple of years. But it's easy to try.

2. Run the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner tool to remove all traces of all Creative Cloud apps (LR Classic, LR, Photoshop, etc.). Then reinstall LR (and Photoshop if you need it):

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/apps/troubleshoot/diagnostics-repair-tools/run-creative-cloud...

This won't delete your presets, catalog, or photos.  It has sometimes helped, but it's tedious and can take an hour or so, depending on your network connection.

[Lada Jensen]

Lightroom has had full disk access. I double checked and it does.

I ran the adobe creative cloud cleaner tool and reinstalled lightroom. The issue remains.

[drtonyb]

@Lada Jensen wrote

"I'm having the issue again and following the same steps the last agent did. I go to preferences in finder and change the CC7. plist file to CC7.old.plist. Then I quit lightroom and try again. Still nothing."

Is this actually what the agent told you to do and what you actualy did and have been doing?

If it is, it is wrong. I seriously doubt these steps will reset your Preferences.

Don't rename the CC7. plist file while LrC is running; if you do, when you quit, the cached Preferences will be written as they were.

Quit LrC first, then rename the CC7. plist file, then start LrC; doing it in this order will reset the Preferences.

[Lada Jensen]

Thank you for the reply! I have tried it both ways. While running and after quitting. I watched the agent do it while it was running, and have seen other agents quit first. My issue with resetting preferences is that is does not last for long before my issues start again. So I am constantly resetting preferences for a temporary fix.

[drtonyb]

@Lada Jensen 

If a proper Preferences reset does fix the issue, albeit for only a short time, it seems that there is something going wrong as you work. Are you adding any of the 3rd-party plugins back to LrC? I see Aperture/iPhoto Importer Plug-in and Narrative in your System Info.

In your video, you demonstrate the issue clearly, but each Mask you try to create is an AI Mask; Subject, Sky, Background. Are you able to create other non-AI Masks  such as Linear or Radial Gradient Masks?

[johnrellis]

"Are you able to create other non-AI Masks  such as Linear or Radial Gradient Masks?"

The screen recording shows (at 0:08) a brush mask being created and disappearing.

[Lada Jensen]

I am not adding any of the 3rd party plugins while I work. And I have tried linear and brush masks and they do not work either.

[drtonyb]

Thanks John, I missed seeing that.

@Lada Jensen could you create a new catalog with one photo that exhibits the issue and then share that catalog? Another way would be to select a single photo in your catalog that is having this problem and use File > Export as Catalog..., making sure you check the "Include negative files" option.

[Lada Jensen]

It is not letting me attach and send the catalog here. Can I share it another way?

[johnrellis]

Compress the catalog folder and upload it to Wetransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive or similar free service and post the sharing link here.

[Lada Jensen]

Thank you, try this link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OKMCiUAIA5tKu0KgiaMBii4zk4veseRc/view?usp=share_link 

[johnrellis]

With that test catalog, I don't experience the problem on either Lr 15.0.1 / Mac OS 15.7.1 or LR 15.1 [just released] / Mac OS 26.1.

[drtonyb]

@Lada Jensen 

Thanks, I got your test catalog. Unfortunately the Subject Mask worked without any issues, so I guess we can rule out the catalog. Before we do, can you confirm that the test catalog you exported does have the Masking problem on your Mac. I'm on a Windows 11 machine, but @johnrellis is on a Mac.

[Lada Jensen]

I just tried it, it does still have the masking issue on my Mac.

[drtonyb]

@Lada Jensen 

Ok, thanks for the check. Looking at your video, when you click Subject, LrC creates an icon in the Masking list, but then removes it; when you tried the Brush, the Mask icon was created and remained until you clicked the mouse to start brushing, then the Mask icon disappeared. This looks like the Mask creation is silently crashing. There are some log files that might help the Adobe team identify what is going wrong, but on the Mac I'll have to check where these are. To use them, start LrC, try to create a Subject Mask, then close LrC immediately.

It must be getting late in your part of the world. I will let you know where the logs are located.

[drtonyb]

@Lada Jensen 

On your Mac, I think the log files are in this folder "~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/Logs".

[Lada Jensen]

Should I try this with the test catalog I sent you?