Click and drag in layer palette does not work - Photoshop 23.5

[Nicolas Alexander Otto]

I recently encountered a really weird glitch in Photoshop.

I can no longer drag layers in the layers palette. Well, technically I can, but as soon as I try I have about a milisecond before the icon changes back to the regular pointer, and I can't move it anymore. I can't drag a layer in the bin or move them around. Note that it is not a problem of it being a background layer or the auto select of the selection tool. 

Although I noted that I can't move any layer around with the move tool within the file as well. Transform and other tools work just fine though. 

I am a bit at a loss here because even within Photoshop (v23.5) there seems to be everything just fine with all other tools working appropriately. What am I missin

[Francesco Della Peruta]

Hi, maybe you can take a look here (similar issue):

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/cant-drag-layers.html

[Nicolas Alexander Otto]

It didn't help I am affraid. But going back to an older version and updating again seems to have resolved it.

[Randy Hufford · Accepted solution]

I have two computers. 1 just for newer versions of PS and the other for a older version that works without bugs. SO maybe try getting  older version that still works without problem?

[Nicolas Alexander Otto]

I tried this first and now I am running an older version and it seems to work just fine. Guess I will update back to 23.5 some other time then or skip it. Thanks. Would still have been interesting to know where this comes from as it is a pretty peculiar error. 

[jane-e]

@Nicolas Alexander Otto 

Let us know if the help page posted by Francesco resolves your issue. As a workaround, try the keyboard shortcuts or the commands in the Layer menu.

Move target layer down/up

Control + [ or ]

Command + [ or ]

Jane

[Nicolas Alexander Otto]

Nope didn't make any difference it seems. Sorry.

[Trevor.Dennis]

 @Nicolas Alexander Otto

We can see you are using Windows, but it might be useful to know if it is Windows 10 or 11?

As Jane has said, the keyboard shortcuts should still work for you, but they won't let you drag a layer to another open document (which is the only time I actually drag a layer).  If that is an issue, you can right click and select Duplicate and use the drop-down to select the other open document, or new.

BTW  I just tested it on my Windows 10 system, and my layers drag as they should do.  Just a thought, but you could construe this as a screen issue, so it might be worth trying Deactivate Native Canvas  We've had all sorts of vaguely screen related issues resolved with this step.

[Nicolas Alexander Otto]

I read this after already installing an older version whcih seems to have fixed the issue. When I then switched back to 23.5 the issue seemed to have resolved itself somehow. So I didn't get to test this, really weird glitch. I will keep this in mind however if the problem should resurge at a later point and provide feeedback. Thanks for the comment. 🙂