P: New user interface lacks contrast and many usability cues, lots of other problems

[J Isner]

I just updated to Photoshop CC(2015) version 2015.1. Adobe changed the UI to the flat look you see on phones and tablets. I do not see any way to select the classic interface, which I'm sure many desktop users of PS prefer.

This feels yet another attempt by Adobe to be trendy without caring about what users want or need. Didn't they learn anything from the dumbed-down Lightroom import fiasco?

[richardm57619961]

I honestly thought I had a gfx driver issue the first time I loaded it, it really does look that bad, alt tabbing between AI and PS is horrendous.
Discussion is futile, get used to it.

[brucet53718289]

Frankly I hope a good looking easy to use competitor steps up to the plate and shocks the hell out of Adobe.

[richardm57619961]

I'd settle for 240 volts at regular intervals.

[selondon]

The new interface is awful. When working on a file with many layers it is so hard to differentiate!

Make my work life bad by changing the UI, make my home life sad by ending Adobe Revel.

Great Stuff

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I really like the new UI and I don't understand how a cleaner UI can make a software unusable, especially if you're a long time user. The panel layouts and functions are exactly the same. I don't need borders and drop shadows to tell me the font size is clickable and editable. It seems to me that the reactions are wordings used here are over the top.

[allebarat]

May I ask how old you are? Do you wear glasses? Are you a casual photoshop user or do you spend over an hour per day using it in a professional environment? Do you use your screen at full brightness or is it calibrated for correct color and luminance?

Because if you are a young, casual user with perfect vision using an uncalibrated display at full brightness, I can understand your thoughts. Otherwise, the comments here tend to be spot on.

[brucet53718289]

FMk, you should probably pop over to the "I love the new Photoshop Interface" page and join all the others there...all one of them.

[AnnShelbourne]

I can only assume that FMk never uses Paths or the Pen Tool on a HiDPI monitor?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I'm 46,wear glasses and Photoshop is my main tool at work, so definitely more than a couple of hours a day. I'm not sure what people mean "lack of contrast" because the icon/text colour against the dark grey background would easily pass the American With Disabilities Act guidelines. I use the pen/path tools with a retina display. I wished they would work more like Illustrator. I didn't liked those tools in Photoshop before and for me they haven't changed with the new UI, I still wished they were more like Illustrator.

[Guest]

It's still useable, it's just a little harder to differentiate. It takes that extra second to see what your'e looking for, and to tab around. All those seconds add up and cut down on efficiency and add eye strain. I use PS up to 14 hours per day and I can tell you, this new UI look is really a mess.

[RobertTarabella]

Fair enough. Remember, some people liked the looks of the Pontiac Aztek, too.

[Roger the Photographer]

FMk, something is wrong here. Are you a professional, working with professional equipment for this kind of work? Please tell us exactly which equipment you are using: computer, monitor(s), most of all the size and definition of your monitors, et cetera.

Now,  FMk, imagine someone who, when he's not in the field or photo expeditions, uses Photoshop CC 7, 8, sometimes 10 hours a day. Imagine that this bozo (me for example) is working with two calibrated, medium-brightness, 30 in monitors. Imagine that those monitors are not glossy because this is very serious and touchy work. And of course any kind of finish that kills reflexions will slightly diminish precision, that's the price to pay.

Now, at which distance do you think this bozo is from his monitors? Two feet.

With this kind of professional setup, it's sometimes hard to keep track of thinks like, say, the cursor for certain tools depending on your background colour. This is hard, strenuous work, which is one of the reasons why most of us automate many workflows.

Of course the UI is still "usable" !  When someone says "unusable", it's a figure of speech. To put things clearly, the interface went from not so good (yeah, that's what PS 2015.0 UI is, not quite in the big leagues) to bad. Not "unusable", simply downright much harder to use.

This is a working tool. A workhorse. You don't modify the UI from top to bottom just for the fun of it.

We all work with an operating system that we may like or not, depending. But we've got used to our operating system over the years. Whether it's Windows or OS X I don't care. Each one has its own logic (well, most of the time that is), and each one provides all that's needed to work with lists, fields, windows, dialogs and the like. Well, use them, by Jove!

Grey on grey. Santa Pizza! The worst invention of the last century! Must I go on? Because I'm all worked up and I could write a ten-page rant in no time.

[philipk88448296]

Hey everyone: we are still "talking" in a chat board, logging hundreds of insightful, constructive comments, and the overwhelming consensus is that the new UI for Photoshop is a step backwards. And yet, this subject does not have any response from Adobe. This is getting surreal. HELLO ADOBE-- ANYONE HOME? How many posts before this gets on your radar screen?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

There are responses from Adobe, please read the rest of the topic.

[richardm57619961]

1 response in 3 months, please read the rest of the topic.

[HerbertReininger]

@FMK: the light version of the UI, the one I prefer, will never pass any serious accessibility test. And I am not even talking about general usability testing here.

[grauenwölfe]

Hey, come on guys, can't be lampooning people simply because they like or don't have a problem with the new look. Adobe could have made it all magenta and yellow and there would be people who liked it. Just let him be, he likes it and should be welcome to voice that here. Most of you hate it, I personally think the change is irritating, excruciatingly amateurish and feels like using bad knock-off software from China, but I also don't think it's unusable. Embarassingly stupid and inconsiderate? Absolutely.

[richardm57619961]

Man walks into room, expresses polar opposite opinion after telling everyone they are 'over the top'...while Adobe choose to ignore the conversation and let the community argue among themselves...should we phone Einstein to ask for the outcome ?

[HerbertReininger]

Why not focus on the  task at hand: the poorly designed and miserable 'new' interface of Photoshop? I don't see any value in wasting our energy bickering over dissenting opinions. Opinions are just that, subjective personal opinions. And let's not forget that we all are here in this forum to let Adobe know, loud and clear, that subjective opinions should NEVER be the basis for UI design. 

[richardm57619961]

Agreed, can someone point me to the thread where people were complaining about the old UI and requesting an update ?

[brucet53718289]

There may have actually been 3 or 4 responses from Adobe but nothing to suggest there is light at the end of that dark grey, darker grey and black tunnel. I'm astounded that someone up the corporate food chain hasn't addressed the many issues presented here, and well explained too, often with screenshots or diagrams. Totally lousy PR Adobe. Any business is founded on it's customers and in particular customer loyalty. Talk with us!

[Outtacontext]

Yes, where is Jeff? He came on, chastised the group for focusing on the one developer who has taken credit for this UI, left, and hasn't been heard from.

[RobertTarabella]

I've looked at many other Photoshop user forums, and there is just no discussion about this topic anywhere but here. As I've said here already, I'm not a fan of the new interface, but this is a relatively small group of cranky users compared to the masses who aren't complaining. So, I hate to break it to you, but there's no "classic" mode coming, and there's not going to be any wholesale change back to the other interface. I think we have a 50/50 shot at getting a bit more contrast added back, which IMO would be a significant win.

[Antonio_Starace]

There has been 1 response in 3 months and it basically summarizes as "we don't care what you all think". Not bad Adobe, not bad.

[Guest]

"I've looked at many other Photoshop user forums, and there is just no discussion about this topic anywhere but here."

Robert,
That is because the Adobe moderators are compiling all of the other threads into this one page, considering it one issue. I posted outside of this thread and was notified that it would be rolled into this one, as I am sure have many others.