P: MacBook Pro Apple M2 Max Laggy Liquify

[Abreu.pedro]

MacBook Pro Apple M2 Max 96GB RAM - Photoshop 24.2
I recently changed to this new computer and photoshop is super laggy in tools like liquify and other filters, the brush lags a lot!
Even the zoom is slow.
Even my 2015 MacBook is faster at these tasks.

I don't know what is going on but something can't be right...

[marcusbastelphoto]

I find everything is slow, I have a 16" 2023 MBP with 16GB memory and it appears to be way slower handling simplest tasks, like opening a raw file, through Camera Raw, saving a file appears to hang. Ihave 3 external hard drives connected which files and scratch disk live on. I had a 2015 MBP which was at least as fast if not faster, what's going on? I am checking for photoshop updates that might fix these problems every day.

[JSP8475]

the lag is fixed on Beta, (kinda)

There seem to be some sort of a loading time for about 2-5seconds for liquify to be fully functional.

During that 2-5 seconds load time, liquify is still not functioning properly.

Is it an improvement? definitely yes.

Is it 100% functional? depends how/where you look at it/from.

I'd say it's 85% there compared to previous verions' performance.

With GPU suppport off (on both official and beta) the image loads sequencially and that takes about 2-5 second to finish.

Which is about the same amount of load time I experienced on Beta with GPU support on...

m2 Pro Mac Mini, 32GB ram, 4TB SSD...just in case anyone's wondering which machine I'm operating from...

[Edurado Mota]

hello! when you record screen with quicktime the liquify filter works fine. this is crazy.

[davidpearlman@me.com]

These strings are always a bit difficult to follow. I see that by downloading the BETA version we have pretty much solved the lag issue in the liquify filter. Do you know how long it will be before this fix is includdd in a regular photoshop version update?  Thank you. 

[JSP8475]

installed 24.7 and at first seemed to work. but after a while it's suttering. point stop and cursor jumps to where it's supposed to.  If it's just for cursor movement, fine, but It's affecting even when I click and move pixels around in liquify and for someone who does his stroke in small increments it's realy annoying. This shifty cursor behavior started when I saved the file to PDB cause it went over PSD file limit. This might not be the cause of the problem but Beta version still works fine.

[Mark.Dahm]

davidpearlman@me.com ,

Version 24.7 regular build contains the fix.

[Felix31283606af5x]

Yup, PS 24.7 fixed it for me (Mac Mini M2 Pro/Ventura 13.4), I´m smoothly liqufying now without the workaround (temporarily disabling GPU via option key) 🙂

Man, two of the major bugs ironed out within a few days since I´m using CC, I´m feeling lucky!

[wayne_carey]

Agreed!  Liquify does work but try using the Healing Brush.  I'm not getting it to work now.  When I use the Healing Brush, I see the masking line drawn but when I release the mouse, nothing happens and the brush stroke stays just like I painted a brush stroke in red.  NOT GOOD!  It does the same with or without graphics support.

[Felix31283606af5x]

@wayne_carey 

I´m working all day (literally) with the healing brush and just tried spot healing now that you mentioned your problem, no lag whatsoever. I´m using the "new", post 2015 version of the brush ("use old version" unchecked in the tool preferences).

Hope you get it resolved.

[wayne_carey]

@Felix31283606af5x I don't see that option anywhere in the Settings, Tools.  I'm the newest 24.7.0 version of Photoshop.  I've looked everywhere in the settings to change this and test to see what happens but like I said, I'm not finding it.

[Felix31283606af5x]

It´s in the tool bar (top of the screen) when the healing brush is activated. I´ve mentioned it mainly to provide precise infos, but it´s worth a try with the setting activated, although it´s quite an old option. I´d say a long shot if it fixes your problem.

[Felix31283606af5x]

Ok spoke too soon, laggy brush is back after working with it for 3 days (no restart). Yes I´m working on the weekend.

I´ve up to 10 simultaneously opened 1-2GB files (25mpx, multiple layers). Firefox opened for music (5 tabs open). RAM nearly at max (29 of 32GB), minimal swap. Neither closing of all other apps nor restart of PS does fix the problem, but restart of the computer. The workaround (shift click on liquify in menu) does still work however.

For reference: Mac Mini M2 Pro (10core, 1TB, 32GB RAM), Ventura 13.4, PS 24.7

[fastfingers]

Keep in mind the M series have an unified memory (RAM + VRAM together). So 32GB will sometimes not be enough, even if on another machine it was, unfortunately. I have a 64GB M2 and also reaching its limit sometimes, though I've never had a laggy brush. I do switch off and restart daily.

[Felix31283606af5x]

Yeah I´m aware of the limitations of the unified memory and knew 32GB was cutting it close for certain workloads. I was hoping once I have to dip into swap the fast SSD would save my bacon. I just find it strange that this only occurs during liquify. Otherwise PS is running quite stable.

BTW I never had this problem with Intel Macs (on paper much less capable systems).

[Felix31283606af5x]

Small update: After a further week of work the lag did not occur again. I did shut down the computer from time to time, but mostly just let it run. Must have been a random hiccup.

[JSP8475]

[video]

This is really annoying, please fix this

M2 Pro Mac mini 32GB Ram, 4TB SSD Ventura, Photoshop 24.7

When I turn off GPU support it works with reduced smoothness cause it's not getting that full GPU support.

M1 mac mini 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD running Monterey don't have this problem

[JSP8475]

no response from anyone, even from the Adobe rep? this silent treatment is getting annoying.

I have to constantly turn GPU support off when this happens (I don't know when this would happen but majority of the time this bug would occur and very few times I don't experience this) and whan I need to use liquify I have to restart Photoshop entirely and is really piling on to the fatigue.

my workaround at this point is to use liquify on the copied layer, turn on show backdrop, and select the latest layer that I need to warp/liquify my copied layer, then liquify.

This is far less efficient method then to reduce opacity of copied layer (with keyboard shorcut) and go into warp

Please don't tell me to downgrade from 24.7 to earlier version, M2 is suffering from liquify lag in previous version that I have to turn off GPU support for liquify to function properly.

[laurenm3148903]

Same issues - liquify takes ages to load.  Command+0 to fit to screeen doesnt work at all - even when not using the shortcuts and using the menu "View" "Fit to screen"  

Very ANNOYING!!!  I am using a brand new imac that has all the options to upgrade.   GRRRRRRR 

[Erin26]

Hi @laurenm3148903,

Have you tried the suggestions in this thread that have worked for others?

1. Download the latest version of Photoshop  (Is the issue happening in both Beta and Release?)
2. Restart machine
3. Delete Preferences (also requires a restart)

Let us know if any of these options resolve the issues.

Thank you

[Mark.Dahm]

@laurenm3148903 , also please try turning off GPU compositing in case the other suggestions don't work; if that helps, it would be great if you could share that back with us here!

Go to Photoshop preferences, click Performance in the list on the left, and click the Advanced Settings button (see image below), and uncheck the GPU compositing checkbox. Restart Photoshop for changes to take effect.

[laurenm3148903]

Thank you I have tried the above and have deleted the Beta version and installed the new 2024 PS.  Still happening.  I'm about to try and turn off the CPU Composting.  I'll keep you updated.  

[laurenm3148903]

It's way worse with the composting turned off 

[JSP8475]

Just to let Adobe rep here know, it's still happening on PS 25.0

For some reason if I go to "liquify" with affected layer and then come back to warp, this glitch goes away.

If I transform and flip(i.e. to match the collar on the person), this glitch comes back and have to go into "liquify" and then come back.

I feel it's as if the cached layer is affected (not properly loaded or something) somehow on my case.

M2 pro mac mini/ 32GB ram/ 4TB ssd/ Sonoma 14.0 (23A344)/ PS 25.0

[Marta328264627t0j]

I have the issues with latest photoshop 25.00 on Macbook pro m1 16gb.

Liquify literally unusable, laggy, unusuable with the GPU acceleration.

Can you please fix it? Worked flawlesly before update to PS25.

[nunoacacio]

Worked for me!