Photoshop 25.4.0 Color picker "Could not use the eye dropper tool because of a program error."

[HatM]

Issue: Photoshop 25.4.0 Color picker "Could not use the eye dropper tool because of a program error." message

Adobe Photoshop Version: 25.4.0 20240118.r.319 67d7f0b x64

Issue:
Step 1: new or open document
Step 2: draw shape (pen tool or ranctangle tool...). Or insert Solid color layer and fill with shape.
Step 3: while the shape layer is selected (this doesn't happen when the empty color fill layer or any bitmap layer is selected), change the color with the Color Picker (Foreground color) or use the Color Picker from the tool bar.

Expected result: color picked.
Actual result: color picked with error message, every time the eye dropper is used

This error was on the previous Photoshop Beta version tool.

[Okan5CA7]

Yea, i knew.

[Okan5CA7]

[Targle]

can't reproduce it on Mac OS Ventura 13.6.3 Photoshop 25.4.0

[Targle]

can't go back to the previous version, haha, it has a bug that give you the same error if you use the pencil tool on a bitmap file

[Lumigraphics]

I wonder if its a difference between 8 and 16-bit files or somesuch? Since not all of us are seeing this.

[ChristopherFrame]

Same error message.
M1 MacBook Air.
Eye Dropper works when selected as a standalone tool but not when activated any other way.

[tamas.nagykalnai]

I just tried it, in both bit depths produce the same error message. It only appears in the color picker palette, when you want to choose a color from a palette and then pick a color from anywhere.

[irvinrobledo]

Eyedropper shows an error and close when I'm drawing shapes and use eyedropper to select the color for the shape .

V25.4.0 in Mac Sonoma 14.2.1

 

[PECourtejoie]

Hi, Try to restore your preferences to the default using this manual method:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually it lets you keep a copy on the desktop that you can use to revert the process if it does not fix your issue.

[Ged_Traynor]

@irvinrobledo it's a known bug

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/photoshop-25-4-0-color-picker-quot-could-not...

[tdm49365929]

Same issue. With any and all files. Really affecting my workflow. 

[samoilove]

Same issue. macOS Ventura 13.4 (22F2063), Photoshop 25.4.0

[michaelc83488910]

Has this been fixed yet??

[Ged_Traynor]

@michaelc83488910 "Has this been fixed yet??" not yet

[Okan5CA7]

Still waiting an update.

[tdm49365929]

Please stop responding to people with the link to the literal thread we are ALREADY IN. WE know it a known issue and are simply adding our voices to the discussion.

[tdm49365929]

@Ged_Traynor this message is for you. Linking to the thread we are in is not helpful.

[Michael Trout]

Merged threads are a thing... Something I suspect has happened which is the reason for the recursive links back to this thread. Just saying.

Regarding resetting Preferences: this does not resolve the issue.

Reproduction:

Eyedropper on toolbar - functions as expected.

Properties Panel

1. Select shape
2. Click Fill color in Properties panel
3.  Click Color Picker icon in upper left of panel (opens 'Solid Color panel)
4.  Hover pointer over desired color on screen (looking for eyedroper icon)
5.  Click to sample color
6. see 'Could not use the eye dropper tool because of a program error,' alert
7. Click OK
8.  See that the color was sampled anyway
9. Click OK to commit color change

So, it is a bug. It isn't a work stop issue, but it is not a work stop issue.

[Michael Trout]

Guess I cannot edit my post to correct the last line.

While it is a bug, and it is an annoying bug, it is not a work-stopping bug.

[tdm49365929]

Yep.

Repeatedly informing posters in any thread, merged or not, that "this is a known bug" is not necessary or helpful. 

[Drew25604610z1lm]

If this was a known error in the beta and they pushed it out anyway we should be rembursed for a our subscription payments for every month that this continued to be a problem. As it stands, the program is effectivley broken

[Lumigraphics]

You do realize that every piece of software you use has bugs?

[OguzhanAda]

My photoshop eye dropper tool is not working. I try many different settings including reset preferences, reinstall photoshop... Is there any solution or should I just downgrade the version of photoshop?

mac os & windows
photoshop v25.4
all apps & drivers are up to date.

[Ged_Traynor]

@OguzhanAda it's a known bug in version 25.4

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/photoshop-25-4-0-color-picker-quot-could-not...

[Todd@Budge]

Confirmed on my end in 25.4 on Sonoma 14.3