Have to press key twice for shortcut to stick

[David 66]

Hi all,

A few days ago Photoshop started acting weird. For example, let's say the move tool is selected (V). I then press the C for the crop tool, but it won't stay as the crop tool unless I hold the key down or rapidly press C twice. To go back to the move tool, I either have to hold the V key down, or press it rapidly twice. And this is the case for all of the tools that I commonly use. I switched over to Illustrator and InDesign to see if the same behavior happened in those applications, and it did not. I only had to press the key once to get the corresponding tool.

I've reset the preferences, and restarted the computer a couple of times and the behavior stays the same. Any idea how to fix this?

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

What is the Photoshop > Preferences > Tools > Spring-Loaded Tool Shortcuts setting? 

[David 66]

Thank you so much, I turned it off. Now everything works fine with one touch. Sorry I never noticed that setting before. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I think that Preferences setting is fairly new, I have only noticed it recently myself. 

[Pernandes]

Thank you sooo much, it was driving me mad

[iainc19798064]

My goodness, thank you so much, that's been driving me mad for ages! Why the hell would they add that?!

[PECourtejoie]

Hi, they added that setting at the request of digital painters that had problems with the spring-loaded shortcut feature activating the tools temporarily when they wanted a full tool change.

Now you can adjust the time during which you need to hold and release a tool to use it, and revert to the previous one.

[LAWRENCEcanDRAW]

As a digital painter I don't see why anyone would want that as we can already programme stylus/tablet shortcuts to have tool changes. What scenario with which tools applies specifically to painting on that one Joie?

[PECourtejoie]

Hi, @LAWRENCEcanDRAW  au contraire, painters had often unwanted tool changes, or reverts, as the default setting for that old feature might have been too short. They were maybe switching tool, then started to paint while the shortcut was still held, then the tool reverted to the previous tool they had.

Most  painters lenghten the time, or simply disable them.

In fact, that feature makes all tools behave similarly to the spacebar, or CMD: it switches to another tool for as long as you hold the shortcut, then revert.

For instance, you are using the paint Brush, then want to select something quicky, you just hold M, draw the Marquee, then release, you are back to B with only one click.

[Howard Sundwall]

Thank you!

[burbalade]

So glad I found this thread. I thought my keyboard was malfunctioning this entire time. What a silly default behavior.

[Skinny-Cat]

Thank you so much. 

[affectionate_Meadow15D5]

OK YES, thank you!

[JeffreyJ726]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

This was driving me crazy....  I can't understand why this is a feature and not a bug, but I am just very thankful for the question being answered!  

[affectionate_Meadow15D5]

Same. I have to hit most hotkeys twice for them to "stick". Quite annoying.