Adjustment layer lag in photoshop since version 21.0.3 - including new version 23.0

[matt-tnm]

This has been an issue for a while - the handles on adjustment layer properties not smoothly following your cursor, making it very hard to make precise adjustments. I've recorded some video s below to demonstrate - on curves layers as it's most pronounced there. This is on a complex file, on a high DPI PC screen (still apparent on a standard definition screen) but I've made it a relatively difficult example to make the effect as apparent in the video as possible. 

Perfectly smooth in v21.0.3, horrible laggy on everything in v21, v22 and v23 since that release:

Photoshop 21.0.3

Photoshop 23.0

This is on an i9-9900k / Quadro RTX 4000 / NVME application drive, separate NVME scratch disk and backup scratch SSD / 64GB DDR4.

Same problem on a i7-6700 / GTX 1080 / NVME application drive, separate NVME scratch disk and backup scratch SSD / 32GB DDR4.

Same problem on a heavily specced 2018 15" Macbook Pro.

Tried every combination of settings in the preferences across all of them. Can't figure it out - it seems like something fundamental changed after 21.0.3 that's just killed adjustment layer performance.

[matt-tnm]

!!

I think I've actually fixed it!

Go to Preferences > Technology Previews > Deactivate Native Canvas and restart Photoshop:

I noticed this was a secondary workaround for GSync issues. I don't have a GSync monitor setup, so the GSync options aren't there in the Quadro's control panel, so I'd never thought to try it. But given that the behviour (laggy mouse) it describes here: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/known-issues.html under 'Mouse of Cursor stuttering' sounds exactly like my issue, I thought I'd try it and it does the trick.

Kind of crazy this has been an issue since version 21.0.3... but there you go. What a relief to actually be able to use the current version again!

[Jacek Poplawski]

I disabled native canvas months ago while discussing this issue, for sure it doesn't fix the issue

[matt-tnm]

Yeah - "fixed" was a bit hyperbolic on my part here... it notably improved things for me on my Mac and my PCs; but it's still nowhere near as smooth as things were before whatever change happened with >21.03. It's the only thing that's had any effect at all.

[haroldstoker]

This has been an issue for some time - the handles on change layer properties do not easily follow your cursor, making it extremely difficult to make exact changes. I've recorded some videos beneath to illustrate - on bends layers as it's generally articulated there. This is on an intricate record, on a [ Link removed by Modertor ] screen (still clear on a standard definition screen) yet I've made it a moderately troublesome guide to making the impact as obvious in the video as could really be expected.

[matt-tnm]

This is a good point. Everything I'm testing on has a hi-dpi display. Thought they were very common though these days, so would be routinely caught in QA by Adobe.

[barrycraig]

I have this exact problem. It's present in all adjustment layers but particularly bad in a Curves layer. It's definately related to filesize/canvas size as testing with a small documeant shows that the problem is not present.

MacOS 12.4
Photoshop 23.4.1

Mac Pro 2019

3.5GHz 8 Core Xeon W

96GB RAM

Radeon Pro W5700X

[barrycraig]

Follow up to this, it is also linked to the zoom level of the document window. If you zoom right out so the window is very small then there is no lag at all when altering the adjustment layer, if you then zoom right in to 100% the same adjustment later is extremely laggy. This is 100% reproducable. 

[matt-tnm · Accepted solution]

As of 23.5.0 performance is back up to 21.0.3 levels - crucially without having to 'Deactive Native Canvas'.

Huge relief, thanks to whichever Adobe engineers got to the bottom of this one.

[PECourtejoie]

VERY good news, and thanks for coming back to your thread!