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CharlieBullet
Participant
July 1, 2019
Answered

Clone stamp source crosshair missing/not showing/disappeared

  • July 1, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 7024 views

Hey,

First post in these forums, so bear with me... And please let me know if I need to provide any further information.

When trying to use the Clone Stamp Tool, the tool itself works fine but I can no longer see the crosshair cursor indicating where I am stamping from (clone source). In the image attached I am cloning the bottle holding the cursor over the text (marked 1), so there should be a cursor/crosshair indicating where I am stamping from (marked 2). However, as you can see, there is not.

(For some reason the circle outline around where I am cloning to disappears when taking the screenshot, but please ignore that.)

In the screenshot I have selected clone source by Alt-Left Mouse Button, released Alt and I am holding the cursor over the text. As you can see, there is no crosshair cursor over the source area.

Previously, this has worked fine, i.e. I have seen the crosshair showing where I am cloning from, and moving it while moving the stamp tool. I am not 100% sure when this problem appeared, as I have been using Photoshop sporadically lately, but the problem is there nonetheless.

I have tried resetting preferences, as well as completely removing the preference file so PS recreates it, but to no avail.

I am running Photoshop CC 2019 v20.0.5 on a 32GB RAM Windows 10 laptop, Win Version 10.0.18362 Build 18362

Any help would be much appreciated, I have searched the forums but found very little and tried it all.

Correct answer Jeff Arola

This appears to have been fixed in the just released photoshop desktop 2020 (21.1.0) update:

 

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/fixed-issues.html

3 replies

Jeff Arola
Community Expert
Jeff ArolaCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
February 19, 2020

This appears to have been fixed in the just released photoshop desktop 2020 (21.1.0) update:

 

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/fixed-issues.html

EliseBushArt
EliseBushArt
Participant
February 11, 2021

I was still having this problem of the Clone Stamp source crosshair disappearing, even with the latest PS update (22.2.0). 

I finally noticed that the source crosshair disappears if I have Hidden Selection Edges (command+H), then Deselected without first Un-Hiding selection. Toggle Show/Hide command+H fixed the problem.

 

Elise

PS 22.2.0; MacOS 11.2.1; Wacom Intuos

    Sawiro Takoni
    Sawiro Takoni
    Known Participant
    June 4, 2025

    For me the but is still there:

    CTRL + H = hide edge = hide clone stamp cursor.

     
    I think it's a bug, since it doesn't make sense. I want to hide selection edges when cloning, but not the clone source/ crosshair itself.

     

    Windows 11 | 64 bit | Photoshop 26.6.1

     

    C
    CharlieBulletAuthor
    Participant
    July 2, 2019

    Interesting. It also makes sense as I don’t recall having had this issue before, and if I had I would have posted here earlier.

    So, is it a bug or a feature...? If it’s a bug, should the question still be regarded as answered/solved?

    I will look into submitting a feature request regarding being able to change its colour.

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 2, 2019

    It's got to be bug. I can't imagine it's intentional.

    Go ahead and post over at Photoshop Family Customer Community  and see what adobe says.

    Grant H
    Community Expert
    Grant HCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 1, 2019

    the crosshair wont be seen over white, sample and paint from a dark area to see if this is indeed the case

      C
      CharlieBulletAuthor
      Participant
      July 1, 2019

      Wow… Thanks Grant! I gotta say, I feel pretty damn dumb right now… You are absolutely right, the [white] crosshair does indeed show up if it is over a dark or coloured area.

      Is there any way to change the color of this crosshair? It would be helpful to have it in bright green or pink or any similar colour, in order to always see it even over white areas.

      Again, thanks. I appreciate it!

      Grant H
      Community Expert
      Grant HCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 2, 2019

      No problem. you can submit a feature request to Adobe if you so wish.

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