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

Report · Dec 01, 2015

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?

Report · Dec 20, 2015

Like an interface fix, Chris?

Report · Dec 20, 2015

Chris (and I also thank you for being involved), just one of the many UI 'bugs' that is a workflow negative is the simple omission of a 'hover' state on buttons. There is no indication whether or not a button is clickable until it is actually clicked. Small I know but soooo annoying. There are many 'improvements' (lol) that now require a double take to proceed and each one takes a little more time and frustration that adds up at the end of a busy day. As someone else said keep Photoshop for the pros who use REAL monitors, needing a fast, accurate, easy to read interface and save the cruddy flat gray on gray touch interface for the cheaper cousins of PS. We don't want it!

Report · Dec 20, 2015

I have to admit that I too am very wary now about hitting that Update button. You being a computer scientist Chris Cox, can a humble user like myself use Windows Restore to get back to the previous CC version? Mac users apparently can roll back, and have done so.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

"It only contains bug fixes"

That's like discovering the cigarette-lighter was missing on a car with no wheels.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

And Chris Cox, out of interest....are the designers of the latest UI just that...designers?? Or are they actual users of PS and InDesign?? I have a sneaky suspicion they are not the latter, or if they are that they are only casual users. It seems to be the ones not keen on their results are the real users, the core of Adobe customers. As I have said previously Adobe updates were always nice and useful...but this is just a massive fail.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

In the new UI, the layers look like a paragraph, not like a list of items, this is my main problem. The lines separating each item in the layers panel are too dim, and do not have enough contrast, so it takes effort and time to differentiate between elements. Way more than in the previous UI.

Also, the input fields also look like any other regular label or element, so it's difficult to point and click quickly to change a value as before, where I had a withe background and before my eyes got to the filed my hand already was in there.

You know, in my laptop 13" and my iMac 27" even though I'm so used to work with Photoshop, my eyes need visual hints to pint and click more than the real content, I don't want to be reading the panels to use them, or pay much attention to them. It's like using them almost in an unattended fashion. Sorry for this awkward explanation but it's my best sentence in English which is not my mother tongue :D

Bottom line: All the UI colors are so similar that I can't find things in a glimpse like before, there is no visual hierarchy, more contrast is needed. Lines and items are not clear to the eye, everything looks the same color like it is inactive.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

+ Even in the white option, lines, buttons and elements are in a too light gray that makes everything look the same. And I don't like the white or dark options, dark theme is tiring for my eyes and white is much too bright after a long use.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

Please chat to an Adobe representative, they will help you online and control your computer to downgrade. I did it and it was a really good support but it took more than an hour. I suggest all of you do this so they know this is a very big problem for many users that will need a serious fix.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

I'm using CC 2015.0.0 and NO WAY I'm upgrading this to find that Slow UI again.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

Changing the UI doesn't help because all the elements have too similar color. Lines separating the layers, for example, are almost the same color as the background in the panel, so the names of the layers are easily readable but not each item as a separated thing themselves. I'm not interested in reading the layers name as much as seeing the different items in a panel and items in a glimpse.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

+ Even in the white option, lines, buttons and elements are in a too light gray that makes everything look the same. And I don't like the white or dark options, dark theme is tiring for my eyes and white is much too bright after a long use.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

Not interested, I'm waiting for the UI to be fixed or a "classic" option to be added back.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

It would be way easier for me to use the new UI if it was like this:
http://cl.ly/2J0N0C0Z0d2O

Report · Dec 21, 2015

Aside from the new buttons in the dialogs which are not like the rest of the system UI, but at least changing this it would be great.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

It would be way easier for me to use the new UI if it was like this: http://cl.ly/2J0N0C0Z0d2O/fix.jpg

Aside from the new buttons in the dialogs which are not like the rest of the system UI, but at least changing this it would be great.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

It would be way easier for me to use the new UI if it was like this: http://f.cl.ly/items/0E3p08041f2y0p2b...

Aside from the new buttons in the dialogs which are not like the rest of the system UI, but at least changing this it would be great.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

(Sorry for the edits, I'd like to paste the image directly but can't and it's not really friendly to rearrange anything you posted in here...)

Report · Dec 21, 2015

Change the user interface

For something like this user interface would fix a lot of my problems, at least for me.

I don't want to disrespect the team that did the changes but it is really, really a mess for me, I can't upgrade Photoshop because of the new interface.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

Some more interface contrast wouldn't go amiss. It is hard to tell that the OK is the default. Often you have to look twice. No interface should make you look twice.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

Here's an idea: use these controls.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

It's not a downgrade if it's an improvement 🙂

Report · Dec 21, 2015

This is actually a big problem, especially for those of us who use "return/enter" on the keyboard and don't click the actual button.

Out of the corner of my eye, I absolutely can not tell the difference between these two buttons. This will eventually cause a keyboard user to do the opposite of what they intended. Flatten. Close without saving. Rasterize something important. Etc.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

What's really sad is that these controls still exist alongside the new style controls (e.g. Save Changes dialog). They didn't even do a good job doing a poor job.

Report · Dec 21, 2015

I am frustrated at the UI changes in the latest update.
In the past, the active layer you were targeted on was highlighted blue. If it was gray, that meant you were in quick mask mode, or in a channel or something was perhaps 'incorrect'. It was one of the visual clues I gave my students.

Now, the active layer is always gray. No more visual clues.

Why did this change? And can we get the colors back?

Report · Dec 22, 2015

I must admit I had a quiet chuckle to myself when I just received my Christmas message from Adobe:- "May your 2016 be filled with colour and delight"

Yes please!

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

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