Adjustment panel icons missing in Photoshop

[beb03]

The icons for the adjustment layers are missing in the adjustment panel in photoshop.  I am on PS version 24.7.  I updated PS last 23 days ago.  This just started happening today.  I have shut down and restarted photoshop and it does not correct the issue.  I checked the "Window" menu and "Adjustments" is checked.  I can go to Layer -> New Adjustment Layer and add adjustment layers, but this isn't as convenient as clicking on the icons in the panel above the layers.

Please advise.  Thank you!

[Myra Ferguson]

You might try resetting your preferences:

• https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#reset-preferences

If that doesn't work, then try uninstalling and reinstalling Photoshop.

[D Fosse]

This is a problem with the new adjustments panel, which apparently needs to call home every time it opens. Even switching to the "classic mode" still goes MIA on occasion.

It happens to me (and many others) every once in a while. Adding an adjustment layer from the menu or keyboard shortcuts will sometimes bring it to life, sometimes I need to relaunch PS.

Why does it need to call Adobe when it opens? That's my question.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Dag, ISTR more people were losing toolbar icons than Adjustment layer icons.  For me it was the same as the OP, but I am not seeing the problem any more with both full release and beta versions..  I am on 24.7 and 25.1

[NB, colourmanagement]

@Myra Ferguson good idea, reset preferences fixes many issues - here is a bit more detail for anyone wishing to try that

Perhaps try a thorough reset of Photoshop preferences?

(read this entire post before acting please)

Resetting restores Photoshop's internal preferences, which are saved when Photoshop closes.

If they become corrupt then various issues can occur.

Here’s some info on how to do that:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html

Manually removing preferences files is the most complete method for restoring Photoshop to its default state: 

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually

Manually removing preferences files is the most complete method for restoring Photoshop to its default state. This method ensures all preferences and any user presets which may be causing a problem are not loaded.

1. Quit Photoshop.
   
   
2. Navigate to Photoshop's Preferences folder.
   macOS: Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings
   Windows: Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [version]/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings
   
    
   Note: The user Library folder is hidden by default on macOS. To access files in the hidden user Library folder, see How to access hidden user library files.
3. Drag the entire Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings folder to the desktop or somewhere safe for a back-up of your settings
   
   
4. Open Photoshop.
   
    New preferences files will be created in their original location.
   

Note re macOS: The user Library folder is hidden by default.

To access files in the hidden user Library folder, see here for how to access hidden user library files.

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/access-hidden-user-library-files.html

Unexpected behaviour may indicate damaged preferences. Restoring preferences to their default settings is a good idea when trying to troubleshoot unexpected behaviours in Photoshop. check out the video

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#reset_preferences

Learn how to access and modify Photoshop preferences and customise per your frequent workflows

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html

And here’s an earlier forum discussion as an aid to understanding

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/quick-tips-how-to-reset-photoshop-pre...

You may want to backup your settings and custom presets, brushes & actions before restoring Photoshop's preferences.

Here is general info about that:  https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#BackupPhotoshoppreferences

Before you reset your preferences

in case of future issues, I suggest you make a copy as Adobe may need one to check problematic references. 

Quit Photoshop.
Go to Photoshop's Preferences folder

Preferences file locations: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/preference-file-names-locations-photoshop.html\

  [on MacOS see: Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings

  Note for those on macOS: - be aware that the user Library folder is hidden by default on macOS.

  https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/access-hidden-user-library-files.html

  In the Finder, open the “Go” menu whilst holding down the Option (Alt) key.

  Library will now appear in the list - below the current user's “home” directory. ]

Now you can drag the entire Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings folder to the desktop or somewhere safe as a back-up of your settings.

Note for those on macOS:

Preference preservation is affected by macOS permissions,

you’ll need to allow Photoshop ‘Full Disk Access’ in your Mac OS Preferences/Security and Privacy

If that doesn't fix the issue:

Go to Preferences > Performance... and uncheck Multithreaded Compositing - and restart Photoshop.

Still hanging? 

Go to Preferences > Performance... click Advanced Settings... and uncheck "GPU Compositing" - then restart Photoshop. 

Do you still have problems?

It may even be time to reinstall Photoshop.

It’s recommended that you use the Adobe CC cleaner tool to remove all traces first.

(See above about preserving preferences though! It’s worth preserving them unless they are corrupted.)

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

Uninstall Photoshop BUT make sure to choose the option “Yes, remove app preference”.

Once that process finishes, start the installation process and look into the “Advanced Options”. Uncheck “Import previous settings and preferences” and choose to “Remove old versions”.

I hope this helps

neil barstow, colourmanagement net  - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'

google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

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[Ivan32969793g1od]

I have followed all the sugestion in this post and nothing seems to work, my panel shows in previous versions or in the beta, BUT, remove tool does not work for me on beta and I need regenerative fill so I cant use previous version, this happen to me since the last update

[CED CRIAS]

same problem for me too!

[fjmcsu_1]

Hello

Similar issue in version 25.2 . Panel menus(all) non functional as well as the adjustment layer dropdown menu. Layer style also non fumctional but  add a mask & the  video on layers work. Reset preferamces had no effect.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Same here with 25.2, but only the once, and it was fine after a restart.  I can't remember reading anything about what causes it. Although I did wonder if they'd had so much fun making the icons so tiny, they kicked it up a gear and made them too small to see with the naked eye.  Hey!  It could happen.

I had no adjustment panel icons a few beta versions back, and that was constant all the time I used that version.  You should be able to access via the drop down if it's the Adjustment panel that has no icons,  If it's the Toolbar that has no icons, then it's all down to remembering the shortcuts.

[D Fosse]

I gave up the whole panel in the end. I can't have this. It's just too erratic and unreliable now.

So I sat down and made whole new keyboard shortcuts for the adjustments I use regularly. Took a while to get used to, but now I don't miss the panel anymore. Actually, it was nice to finally get rid of it, and now I feel the shortcuts are faster and more efficient.

For the seldom used adjustments I have to go the long way of course, but - they're seldom used so not a problem.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Dag, the obvious way to set Adjustment Layer shortcuts is to simply deap them from the direct to layer ajustments, and move them to Adustment Layers.  I got this tip from a Michael Nenniss Photoshop Power Shortcuts video from MAX 2014.   Sadly, that video has been taken down as several of the shortcuts he suggested were changed around 2017.

What makes this work so well is that we can save custom shortcuts with custom workspaces.  So these are the defaults, which I still have set in my modified Essentials workspace.

And these are the same shortcuts in my default multi screen workspace. 

Having lots of screen space, I have taken to using the new list view, but I have arranged the panel size so that when I first open Photoshop, I hove the cursor over the panel, and scroll once with the mouse wheel to hide the preset bollox.  I seem to work about 50/50 using the mouse and shortcut, but I have no idea when and why.  It just happens.

[D Fosse]

@Trevor.Dennis  Yes, except those old adjustment shortcuts have long been repurposed. The first thing I thought all those years ago was "I won't be needing those anymore", so I'm using them for all kinds of things that don't have default shortcuts.

I couldn't possibly change that now. My brain would seize up and implode.

Then I discovered I had a nice little cluster of keys around the three special Norwegian characters æ ø å. Pristine land, where my adjustment layers now live 🙂 The only one I was able to reclaim was ctrl+L.

[fjmcsu_1]

Yes the little adjustment panel menu that you showed in the yellow box is non functional on ALL the panels along with the icon ajustments i memtioned in my post. They worked for a while but not sure when or why the drop-downs no longer work.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@fjmcsu_1 

@beb03 OK here with PS 25.2.0

Am I right to presume this is what you are missing?:

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

[fjmcsu_1]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I reset the preferences &  moved  the old  settings to my desktop.  The drop down menu , styles all work normally when nested toggether on my main monitor. When i move the panel(layer panel) to my second monitor(i usually move all panels to free up space on my main monitor), the layers adjustment icon at the bottom of the panel as well as the panel menu icon at the top right of the panel does not function. If i move the panel to the main monitor it works! Prior to recent uodate to 25.2  the panel worked normally on the second monitor. I never rchecked if that behavior was present with the old preferences as i quickly moved the panesl to the second monitor. I might put the old preferences back just to see if the behavior is the same.

[fjmcsu_1]

Hello,

I replaced my old preference out of curiosity and the behavior was identical to the new one. If I click on the adjustment layer icon as well as the blending options while the panel is in the main monitor, all works normally & if I move the panel to my second monitor then the aforementioened panels do not behave normally! I adjusted the resolution of the second monitor to various ppi & no change in the behavior.