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Participant
January 31, 2022
Question

Dialog pop-up boxes not showing up in Photoshop

  • January 31, 2022
  • 24 replies
  • 19267 views

I'm having an issue where my dialog boxes are not showing up (trying to "save as", resize canvas, literally anything that has a popup where you have to confirm something) so it appears as if photoshop is frozen waiting for me to select something in the dialog box. If I hit the esc key, the missing dialog box will flash for a second but then disappear and photoshop "unfreezes." I fixed this once by exiting out of photoshop entirely, but now its starting up again.

24 replies

Participant
August 14, 2024

Hello! been trying to find a way to fix this for hours, finally figured out a way, go to preferences < file handling and start changing settings in there, i clicked save as to original folder, save in background and enable legacy save as and it went back to normal

 

Participant
June 29, 2024

I am experiencing exactly this issue. It doesn't allow me to use photoshop AT ALL.

FIX IT!!!!

Participant
October 15, 2023

For any other lost souls that are using Windows, check your Windows Resolution Scaling.

The dialog prompts in PS can get moved off your screen and they become hidden. Right click on your desktop, click "Display Settings", and look under the "Scale and Layout". 

 

If you have anything above 100%, there's a chance stuff can get moved off screen and be unnoticeable.

Participant
June 24, 2023

Not only were all dialog boxes being hidden, but so were entire photos that I was working on (I could get them to reappear by cycling through full-screen views and back, but still super annoying). None of the usual suggestions helped, but if anyone is still having this issue, this trick from an unrelated thread seems to have fixed it for me, at least for the moment:

 

Rename the UXP folder to ~UXP.

  • (Windows) Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\UXP
  • (macOS) Navigate to Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Adobe/UXP

 

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/troubleshoot-home-screen-issues.html

Participant
January 6, 2024

This worked for me. Thanks for sharing!

Participant
March 28, 2023

Its been over 12 months and no response from the offical adobe team on how to solve this issue. Temp fix is to hide photoshop from the doc and click the icon again to show hidden dialogue box. 

Participant
April 17, 2023

I have the same issue - one monitor, and it happens 20 times a day.  SUPER frustrating.  Adobe - when are you going to fix this???

NB, colourmanagement
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2023

Hi, have you tried thoroughly resetting preferences?

 

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

 

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 behavior may indicate damaged preferences. Restoring preferences to their default settings is a good idea when trying to troubleshoot unexpected behaviors 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 customize 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-preferences/td-p/12502668

 

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

 

 

 

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

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

Participating Frequently
March 20, 2023

I am having the same problem on my iMac Pro also. Unplugging my second monitor (a 1K Apple Thunderbolt Display) fixed it. Adobe software is so full of bugs as to make creating art and designs painful!

Emily Abramson
Participant
June 21, 2023

I am having the same issue and am using an old Apple Cinema Display with my new Macbook Pro, as my screen of choice when using Photoshop. I have never paid attention to whether or not it happens when I am only using my MBP. You could be on to something. Thank you for your post. After just now looking up the thread, I see others mentioning the multiple screen problem. Ugh. 

Participant
February 8, 2023

To anyone who might be having this issue on Mac, you likely don't need to force quit Photoshop and lose work. If you right click on the Ps logo in the dock, you can hide Photoshop. Then click to bring Ps back up, and your dialog box will appear. It's frustrating, and I'm having to do this several several times per hour, but I'm no longer losing any work because of it. 

Legend
December 28, 2022

There have been posts about this, I believe it has to do with multiple monitors on Mac. Do some searching, you should be able to find other posts.

eightyf0ur
Participant
January 6, 2023

This has been occuring for me for over a year. The "SAVE AS" option can be clicked – once the obnoxious "save to cloud" screen is bypassed by hitting "Save to Computer", nothing happens. Makes absolutely no sense. It'll work fine for days, weeks, or months and then randomly it just stops. I have to reset the Photoshop program, which is a pain if I havent saved my work yet. Someone needs to fix this.

NB, colourmanagement
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 7, 2023

Perhaps try a through 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

 

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 behavior may indicate damaged preferences. Restoring preferences to their default settings is a good idea when trying to troubleshoot unexpected behaviors 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 customize 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-preferences/td-p/12502668

 

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

 

 

 

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! Its 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

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

Participant
November 12, 2022

Potoshop REALLY needs to fix this. Just lost a bunch of work. 

davidbushphoto
Participant
December 28, 2022

I experienced this problem with Photoshop 2022 on Mac intermittently, and very annoyingly, but it went away for the last half of the year.  Now that it's updated to the 2023 version, the problem is back.

I've lost many files that I was keeping open with small changes for the purpose of copying components to other files. Not being able to exit out without saving is a no go.  Right clicking Photoshop in the dock and selecting "hide" sometimes works. Furious when it does not.  Need a fix for this yesterday.

Participant
November 2, 2022

I have been having this exact problem. Nothing fixes it except exiting the application and restarting it. Mid busy season again and I am ready to scream. Five times in one day I have had to do this. Adobe you really need to do better. I never had this problem until this subscription based version started. I hate paying monthly for a service that fails all the time.  

Inspiring
November 2, 2022

i done been screaming. this bug is driving me absolutely nuts, it seems like its getting worse