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1

Brush mode not working?

Explorer ,
Sep 20, 2025 Sep 20, 2025

This is my seconf Shortcut that disapears all the sudden.

 

Im an artist and i use photoshop to draw and paint. Everyone i know keep saying to try the alternatives, wich i did, but i always comeback to Photoshop, i like it, i love it and i feel very confortable using it.

 

But now its really stressing me out and im batteling giving up and moving to alternatives. Why im stressing out_ because suddenly, 2 of my most used photoshop keyboard shortcurt disapeared.

 

Some months ago, the Brush Mode CLEAR stoped working as a keyborad shortcut, at the time i didnt mind it much and thought that for some reason, with all the new stuff that Photoshop being put in, probably the shoertcut was needed for something else. 

Now since the last updadate, everytime i keep pressing  SHIFT + ALT + S, my brush mode dosent change to Sceen. if i press SHIFT + ALT + M, it changes to multiply, if i press SHIFT + ALT + D i changes to Color Dodge, if i press SHIFT + ALT + N, it changes to Normal, BUT if i do SHIFT + ALT + S, it dosent change to SCREEN mode for the brush. 

TOPICS
Windows
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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Explorer , Sep 25, 2025 Sep 25, 2025

in my case, i was able to recover it again. 

Aparently the conflict is with Microsoft Edge.

so from Task Manager i just terminate task for EDGE and the shortkey works again on Photoshop 

 

Obviously it means i cant use the browser if im using photoshop

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Adobe
Community Expert ,
Sep 20, 2025 Sep 20, 2025

@Nimesh Morarji 

 

For testing purposes, can you try each of these?

  • Go to Edit > Keyboard shortcuts. Are you using the Default set or a modified set? Check the keyboard shortcuts for Screen and Clear to confirm they are correct.
  • It's possible that another application has taken over your shortcuts, possibly even a browser. Try shutting down your computer, then re-launching and only run Photoshop. Let us know if the shortcut works for you now or not.

 

Result

Windows

Mac OS

Cycle through blending modes

Shift + + (plus) or - (minus)

Shift + + (plus) or - (minus)

Normal

Shift + Alt + N

Shift + Option + N

Dissolve

Shift + Alt + I

Shift + Option + I

Behind

Shift + Alt + Q

Shift + Option + Q

Clear

Shift + Alt + R

Shift + Option + R

Darken

Shift + Alt + K

Shift + Option + K

Multiply

Shift + Alt + M

Shift + Option + M

Color Burn

Shift + Alt + B

Shift + Option + B

Linear Burn

Shift + Alt + A

Shift + Option + A

Lighten

Shift + Alt + G

Shift + Option + G

Screen

Shift + Alt + S

Shift + Option + S

Color Dodge

Shift + Alt + D

Shift + Option + D

Linear Dodge

Shift + Alt + W

Shift + Option + W

Overlay

Shift + Alt + O

Shift + Option + O

Soft Light

Shift + Alt + F

Shift + Option + F

Hard Light

Shift + Alt + H

Shift + Option + H

Vivid Light

Shift + Alt + V

Shift + Option + V

Linear Light

Shift + Alt + J

Shift + Option + J

Pin Light

Shift + Alt + Z

Shift + Option + Z

Hard Mix

Shift + Alt + L

Shift + Option + L

Difference

Shift + Alt + E

Shift + Option + E

Exclusion

Shift + Alt + X

Shift + Option + X

Hue

Shift + Alt + U

Shift + Option + U

Saturation

Shift + Alt + T

Shift + Option + T

Color

Shift + Alt + C

Shift + Option + C

Luminosity

Shift + Alt + Y

Shift + Option + Y

 

Jane

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Explorer ,
Sep 20, 2025 Sep 20, 2025

I just tryed all of this shortcuts. im in Windows 11.

And the only ones that arent working, are the ones i use the most. Shift + Alt + S for screen dosent work and Shift + Alt + R for clear dosent work either (and this one for a long time now).

 

Everyother Shortcuts work just perfectly, even cycle through

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Explorer ,
Sep 20, 2025 Sep 20, 2025

ok, its not a photoshop problem.

 

I tried Clip Studio Paint and im having the same issue. so on Edit Shortcuts (in CSP) im trying SHIFT + S, and it accenpts. But if i try Shift + ALT + S, nothing shows up. If i try ALT + S it works too. 

So im thinking there's a problem in this 3 keys combo. because if i do Shift + alt + any letter, it works but if i use S or R, it dosent work.

 

Thank you for trying to help, ill need to figure out why the combo Shift + alt + r and Shift + alt + s are the only ones now working

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Community Expert ,
Sep 20, 2025 Sep 20, 2025

@Nimesh Morarji 

 

To rule out other apps taking over your shortcuts, did you try rebooting and only running Photoshop and nothing else?

 

Jane

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Explorer ,
Sep 22, 2025 Sep 22, 2025

im sure its some app that hijack the shortcut, i was able to recover the Shift +alt + R, it was being used on Nvidia for gaming stuff, yesterday the Screen shortcut also worked but i forgot what app i closed, so im on the hunt for it again. At this ponit , i guess i whished there was a chance to personalize the shortcut and make my life easy

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Adobe Employee ,
Sep 24, 2025 Sep 24, 2025

Hey, @Nimesh Morarji

 

Please check the Nvidia on-screen overlay. It has a host of keyboard shortcuts that can overlap with other apps. 

Press ALT+Z to > Settings > Shortcuts. 

 

Let me know if it helps. Thanks!

Sameer K

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Explorer ,
Sep 24, 2025 Sep 24, 2025

It's frustrating—I ran into the same issue as you. All the blend modes work fine with their usual shortcuts, except for Shift + Alt + S (Screen), which is somehow disabled. I used to use it all the time, and I have no idea why it suddenly stopped working.

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Explorer ,
Sep 25, 2025 Sep 25, 2025

in my case, i was able to recover it again. 

Aparently the conflict is with Microsoft Edge.

so from Task Manager i just terminate task for EDGE and the shortkey works again on Photoshop 

 

Obviously it means i cant use the browser if im using photoshop

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Explorer ,
Sep 25, 2025 Sep 25, 2025

I tried force-closing EDGE from Task Manager just like you did, and it worked again. I'm really grateful for your guidance. That's awesome—hope you have a great day!

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Explorer ,
Sep 25, 2025 Sep 25, 2025

excelent.

Now just need to find a way to disable it on EDGE so i can use both Photoshop and Edge at same time!

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Explorer ,
Sep 25, 2025 Sep 25, 2025
LATEST

Thank you, but I usually use Google Chrome and rarely use EDGE, so I've decided to permanently disable it from running in the background in my Task Manager. Once again, I truly appreciate your help—it's very much appreciated.

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Explorer ,
Sep 24, 2025 Sep 24, 2025

My Photoshop is experiencing a bug where the shortcut Shift + Alt + S doesn't switch the blending mode to Screen, even though all other blending mode shortcuts work fine. I'm using the latest version, Photoshop v26.11.

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