EYEDROPPER while using BRUSH tool (witOPT/ALT) picks up background color instead of foreground color

[bergamar]

Ps 24.2.0

MacOS Big Sur

I've been using Ps for years and have always used OPT/ALT to quickly switch between BRUSH and EYEDROPPER tool to change the brush color, so when I'm using brush tool I temporarily hold on OPT key and select a different FOREGROUND colour.

Now I realize that in doing so eyedropper picks up the BACKGROUND colour and not the foreground, no problem if I need to do this once, since with X key I can switch between foreground and background, but it turns out to be pretty annoying if I need to do multiple changes of colour in a short time.
I've looked into the preferences but without finding any solution yet.

Any suggestion?

[Kevin Stohlmeyer · Accepted solution]

Hi @bergamar go to Apple System Preferences/Security and Privacy/Full Disk Access and making sure PS is listed and active. Then go to Privacy/Screen Capture (or Screen record depending on your OS version) and add Photoshop and check that as active as well.

When you first used the eyedropper a Mac OS warning came up to allow - you hit decline and so PS cannot capture color properly without these settings.

[bergamar]

Thank you Kevin but I'm sorry it doesn't work.

Honestly I don't know how these two privacy settings could be related to my problem...eyedropper tool works perfectly, it actually can pick up colours from my screen to Ps foreground colour, but if I activate it while I'm using a brush tool holding ALT key it does store in memory the right colour but as background colour instead of foreground colour.

[RosieL1204]

I have the same problem as well, but only in Photoshop Beta. All Beta versions have done this.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi @bergamar check your color panel - do you have the background swatch selected?

If unsure click the foreground color on this panel to confirm.

[lmmura615]

This worked for me as well. Thanks.

[elsieb64211074]

Thank you! This was killing my brain

[RosieL1204]

This does not fix the problem for me. Again, it only happens in PS Beta - all versions.

[chykooo93]

THIS OMG, was frustrated just for this,  thank you!

[RonMcB]

I've had the same frustration with this. To be honest tho', I almost bypassed this suggestion as I thought, it can't be that easy. 

.....thank you!

[Pauline350113085xpt]

This worked!!

[hazalmiyor]

Love you thanks!

[cagriozcelik]

Thank u so much Kevin 

[bergamar]

There it was! Thank you Kevin!