P: Layer masks degrades/displays incorrectly at each new action

Report · Feb 26, 2025

It's been happening for a very long time and I usually just go back in the history, save and open again, but this time it bugged me a bit so I decided to post it as a bug:

It happens at random, sometime I can go without it happening for several months and then it happens again, with completely random files.

Basically you can look at the video and you'll see the mask starts to degrade as ifi it was corrupted file or something similar.

For the amount of time I have seen it happening, I have had 4 computers, both laptops and desktops, countless different Photoshop versions (I try to always be up to date)
Just to state that there will be no point sending a file to someone else to check, as saving it at a state where the mask is correct and open it again solves the issue. If I save at a corrupted state, Photoshop saves the corrupted state and one cannot recover the original state.

I never save the corrupted state as it's client's work, and it didn't happen today so I couldn't share a .psd here, but I will share in a comment if it happens again (and the files are shareable)

To reiterate: it's absolutely random (I honestly think it's been happening for at least 10 years, but difficult to be exact on this)

It never happens with a vector mask.
My GPUs have always been compatible.

I am not too bothered as I have been living with it for quite a long time, but just in case it can get resolved....

Report · Feb 26, 2025

Hey, @Imaginerie. Thanks for sharing the details and the video.

The randomness of the issue report acts against finding the fix for any unexpected behaviors. I'll still share this with the team for review.

Thanks!

Sameer K

(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

Report · Feb 27, 2025

THanks @Sameer K
I will make sure I share an example of a degraded and saved file if I can.
I might have to share privately as it's client work... (or save a copy and replace critical layers with black, I guess it won't affect the masks situation)

Report · Feb 27, 2025

Did you apply anything to the Mask in the Properties Panel (Density, Blur)?

Does turning off »Use Graphics Processor« in the Performance Preferences (Photoshop > Preferences > Performance > Graphic Processor Settings) and restarting Photoshop have any bearing on the issue?
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/troubleshoot-gpu-graphics-card.html

Report · Feb 27, 2025

I didn't apply anything (apart from a marquee selection followed by fill in with either black, or white)
I didn't turn off graphics processor on this occasion, but I know I did in the past, to no avail.

I can try again, I just need the glitch to happen again (so far so good)

Report · Feb 27, 2025

Also the glitch disapears if I close the program and launch it again, so I wouldn't be able to check if the graphic processor toggle solves the issue or not. But that's a good call none the less!

Report · Feb 27, 2025

Also the glitch disapears if I close the program and launch it again, so I wouldn't be able to check if the graphic processor toggle solves the issue or not. But that's a good call none the less!

By @Imaginerie

The question is: Does the issue ever happen when GPU usage is turned off?

If not then it would appear to be GPU-related and you would need to do GPU-specific trouble-shooting.

Report · Feb 28, 2025

It would seem weird to be the case on 4 different computers? None of them with the same GPU and drivers.
I won't test that on longer periods of time as I need that GPU enabled (I use intensive filters like liquify etc)
It won't be practical for me to do that.
I never tested the no GPU over a long period of time. This is my production machine, I really cannot afford to keep it without a GPU enhanced. Also, since when I tested it in the past and it didn't make any difference, I doubt it was the case anyway. But who knows?

All I know is that I prefer the inconvenience of a mask glitch that I can correct over the inconvenience of not being able to perform my client work properly.

If I was a hobbyist, it would be different.

@c.pfaffenbichler wrote:

Also the glitch disapears if I close the program and launch it again, so I wouldn't be able to check if the graphic processor toggle solves the issue or not. But that's a good call none the less!

By @Imaginerie

The question is: Does the issue ever happen when GPU usage is turned off?

If not then it would appear to be GPU-related and you would need to do GPU-specific trouble-shooting.

My GPU is NEVER off, and it happens none the less. I used to turn it off in the past and it didn't resolve the issue.

Report · Feb 28, 2025

Also, maybe anecdotal since I don't keep track of how many times it happened and when, but it seems to me that it used to happen a lot more in the past than nowadays.

Report · Feb 28, 2025

Just in case that helps, these are the settings

Report · Feb 28, 2025

Also, maybe anecdotal since I don't keep track of how many times it happened and when, but it seems to me that it used to happen a lot more in the past than nowadays.

By @Imaginerie

Unfortunately I don't have a solution for you, but I do have the same impression. I have seen something similar before, but most of the cases many years ago. Both Mac and Windows affected IIRC.

I always assumed it was GPU-related, possibly OpenGL/OpenCL which are now phased out, and in any case as Photoshop's advanced GPU integration improved, the cases dropped.

The only thing you can do is gather as much documentation as possible, and when you have enough, post a bug report.

Another general observation: when a problem happens on several unrelated machines, that actually narrows down the troubleshooting, because you can concentrate on the things they have in common (which is usually a lot more than you think), and ignore all the differences.

Report · Feb 28, 2025

My GPU is NEVER off, and it happens none the less. I used to turn it off in the past and it didn't resolve the issue.

So are you stating that the issue did happen with GPU-usage turned off or that it just didn’t repair damage that had originally occured and saved when GPU-usage was on?

Report · Apr 09, 2025

I'm currently working with images that have multiple layers with layer masks. (50+)

The masks have various opacities of brushed in black and I like to apply various levels of feather and density.

When I apply feather or density changes, all is good, and I carry on with my workflow - then I'll notice one of the layer masks within my stack will stop working randomly... It is always a mask with feather or density setting applied. (Masks without these settings don't suffer from this bug).

The mask settings stay the same, but the mask is no longer doing its thing ... visually, it's reset to default white, despite brushwork and the applied settings. My current fix is to slide the feather or density off and on & back to its original setting, and then the mask with appplied brushwork is visible and working correctly.

I've experienced this issue many times over the years - never annoyed me enough to report here, but today's the day! This issue is certainly not exclusive to the latest version of Photoshop - it's a bug I've experienced in multiple versions - that was either overlooked or gone unreported.

Certainly way overdue a fix.

Photoshop 26.5.0 - Apple Mac Studio M2 - 64 GB - Sequoia 15.4

Report · Apr 09, 2025

Hey, @© Si. Welcome to the Photoshop Community. I'll need more information to help you figure this out. Please share a video of the issue and the system information from Photoshop Help > System info > Copy and paste into a text document > Upload and attach here.

When this happens, save the document and, if possible, share it with me via direct message. Where do you keep the documents? Internal or external drive? Also, please test and confirm if the issue exists with Photoshop (Beta). You can get Photoshop (beta) from the Creative Cloud > Apps tab > Beta Apps section.

Thanks!
Sameer K

(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

Report · Apr 09, 2025

Hi Sammer - Please find 'System Info' added above.

I shan't be able to provide a video - this issue is a randam.
When it comes to running a Beta on my workstation - Once bitten, twice shy! Sorry, I can't do that either.

All my documents are kept separate from the system drive on an external work drive (990 PRO PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD - read/write speeds of 2800 mb/s - Format APFS).

Many thanks, Si

Report · Apr 09, 2025

@Sameer K - Please see reply

Report · Apr 10, 2025

Thanks for sharing the details. I can understand the hesitation in trying Beta.

For a few test cases, move the documents you're working on to the internal drive before you dive into your working sessions and check if the issue appears again. If the issue recreates, try to share the pattern of steps and specific details about the scale of your PSDs.

If the issues do not exist while working from an internal drive, the workflow becomes unpredictable and will be difficult to investigate: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/networks-removable-media-photoshop.html

I hope you understand. Thanks!
Sameer K

(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

Report · Apr 10, 2025

Thanks @Sameer K
I'll give your sugestion above a try and get back to you - Your link above comes back "page not found.."
I've attached a screenshot below - It shows how the UI displays a corrupt Layer Mask ...

Report · Apr 12, 2025

Turning the GPU on or off never repaired the issue
My general rule is to never turn the GPU off, but I tested a few things when it happened, including that, so I know it's not the issue as it happened with or without.

Report · Apr 16, 2025

Hey @Sameer K - I have moved my currrent job from External HD to Mac internal drive and I can confirm the Layer Mask bug is still happening when feather is introduced ...

Report · Apr 23, 2025

You've gone silent @Sameer K ..
Any news on this issue?

Report · May 04, 2025

@Sameer K
I can confirm @© Si 's assessment. The problem lies in the feather feature (properties)
If I see the issue happen, and that I put back the feather to 0, then the degraded mask display stops. Of course if I need a non-destructive mask blur, I'm toast.
But at least I can save it in a state that is acceptable.

Report · May 04, 2025

If the problem is relevant, then try disabling the "GPU compositing" function in the settings.

Edit > Preferences > Performance > Advanced Settings > off "GPU compositing" > restart photoshop

I had a similar problem, but the main layer crumbled into artifacts. Disabling this option helped me. There were also cases when it helped to solve other problems for different people.

Report · May 04, 2025

Layer mask thumbnails sometimes display incorrectly in the Layers panel. Instead of showing the actual content of the mask (such as a shape or gradient), the thumbnail randomly appears filled with chaotic horizontal stripes.

This issue occurs intermittently — not as a result of a specific action, but seemingly at random. The mask itself remains functional and continues to affect the image correctly — the bug only affects its visual preview.
After editing the mask again, everything is fixed.

Expected Result:
Mask thumbnails should consistently and accurately display the true contents of the mask.

Actual Result:
The thumbnail is visually corrupted — showing only irregular striped patterns that do not reflect the real mask.

App Version: Adobe Photoshop 26.6
Platform/OS: macOS Sequoia 15.3.2 (MacBook Pro M2 Max, 32Gb)

Report · May 07, 2025

@MyronKa That's exactly the same issue that everyone is having. Can you confirm that
1 - It only happens when a mask have any amount of feathering on it?

2 - That the problem disapears when you put the feather back to 0 ?

Report · May 07, 2025

@Sarah13242 I tested that long ago, but unfortunately, no luck. It doesn't seem to be related for me.