Brush Cursor Disappeared

[MelindaV]

Since I updated to OS Sierra, for some odd reason the brush cursor in Photoshop has stopped showing up. It functions (I can paint with it), but I can't see it. At all. I see the results of using it, but not the thing itself. No, my caps lock is NOT on. I've tried toggling it on and off just to play with it, but no matter what I do the cursor doesn't show. No matter what preference I select, it doesn't show. It flickers briefly if I zoom in and out, but it doesn't stick around. I'm using an iMac, all standard stuff it came with, Apple keyboard, no tablet...no reason for this that I can see. I haven't changed anything other than the OS update which I'll admit can be a huge deal. I can't figure out what broke and, more importantly, how do I fix it? It's impossible to do good work without being able to see the cursor.  Help!

https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/brush-cursor-disappears?rfm=1&topic_submit=tr...

[Chad Leeper]

Shutdown and reboot fixed it for me.

[jolh]

I'm having the same problem. For no apparent reason the brush cursor vanishes. No, this is not a capslock problem. There is no crosshair, no indication of the cursor at all. If I shake the mouse the Apple cursor appears and grows and then vanishes again.  I can paint with it even though it's invisible.  If I hit caps lock I can see the crosshair. But if I turn off capslock it disappears again.  Once in a while it appears randomly. But if my cursor leaves the canvas or I click, it vanishes again.  Really does nseem like a bug.

[tomv48346208]

I had this maddening problem too. With paint brush, the eraser, healing tool, clone stamp, etc., the cursor shape would not be visible. I clicked Caps Lock on and off, the cursor shape sometimes shows, but as soon as I move the mouse – the cursor shape disappears. I went through the Photoshop preferences, as well as the system's Accesibility Preferences, all to no avail.

I've been using Photoshop since version 2.0 and have used it nearly every day since. I have seen a thing or two. There is almost always a solution. I'm using a maxed out 2019 MacBook Pro connected to two external monitors. I use a wired keyboard and mouse, placed in front of a 32" monitor. All is hooked together using OWC docks.

As I went to do a hard shut down and restart to see if, for some reason, this helps.... I noticed that Caps Lock was activated on my MacBook Pro's keyboard. Flipping Caps Lock on and off on my wired keyboard was never going to matter as long as the computer's built-in keyboard had Caps Lock activated. Doh! Why didn't I notice this earlier?

For me, it solved the problem. I hope others find this is the solution. If not... the answer is out there somewhere. Maybe.

[Jublie]

I too have had the dreaded cursor disappearence act. So so frustrating. After trying all sorts of resets and preference messing i came across this simple hack.
Change colour mode to CMYK and ta da. The cursor is back!

What a stupid glitch

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @Jublie,

Thank you for sharing your experience and workaround—it’s great that switching to CMYK brought the cursor back! I understand how frustrating this must have been, and we’d love to dig deeper into what might have caused this.

Could you help us with a few additional details?

• Which operating system and version are you using?

• What version of Photoshop are you currently running?

• Are you using any third-party plugins or custom tools?

• Does the issue consistently occur in specific files or color modes, or is it random?

Also, since this thread is a bit older, we recommend creating a new thread if you experience this issue again. It helps us focus on your case and investigate further to find a permanent fix.

We’re here to help!

Best,

Anshul Saini

[Jublie]

• Which operating system and version are you using?
Sequoia Version 15.2 Beta (24C5089c)

• What version of Photoshop are you currently running?
2025

• Are you using any third-party plugins or custom tools?
No

• Does the issue consistently occur in specific files or color modes, or is it random?
Random, i would say it occurs once a fortnight.

[Anshul_Saini]

Thank you for sharing those details—it’s really helpful! I can imagine how disruptive this disappearing cursor issue must be, especially since it happens randomly.

To investigate further and assist you better, could you please:

1. Screen record the issue the next time it occurs so we can see exactly what’s happening.

2. Share the file where this occurs, along with the specific brush you were using when the issue happened.

3. Take a screenshot of your brush settings and the color management settings for the document (found under Edit > Color Settings).

These details will allow us to recreate the scenario on our end and pinpoint any potential causes.

Best,

Anshul Saini