Healing Brush Tool Behaving as Clone Stamp Tool???

[Crista Anderson]

I would like to preface this by saying I'm fairly new to photoshop.

A couple days ago I noticed that my 'healing brush tool' started behaving as the 'clone stamp tool.'

For example, previously, I could retouch skin using the healing brush-working on a low frequency layer. I could blend the skin color without incident. Now, for some reason, when I use the healing brush, the paint comes out as a clone of the facial features. For instance, I'll alt click to sample the lip color, but instead of the color blending, the tool clones the entire lip.

I've reset both tools, reset system preferences, as well as upgraded to PS cc 2019. I've inserted a screenshot of how the tool is behaving for reference.

How can I get the tool back to normal? Please help.

[Mohammad.Harb]

Turn on use legacy compositing under:

edit -> preferences -> performance

restart photoshop

[Crista Anderson]

I tried this method and it continues to behave the same way.

[Trevor.Dennis · Accepted solution]

I generally use the Spot Healing brush exclusively, so I had to think about how the healing brush works, and in some respects, it does behave a bit like the clone tool.   One difference is that it is so darn fast now, and operates completely in real time on my i9-7900X system.  You can see it act more like it used to if you enable Use Legacy in the Options bar.  In that mode, it does not blend the edges until you let go of the mouse button or raise the pen

Or with Use Legacy turned off (the default) push Diffusion up to 7, which gives you more to see.

We generally use the Spot and Healing brushes to remove blemishes, so using the mouth as a source is going to give you a strange result.  Sample from some clean skin and paint over something you'd like to make good, and I suspect you'll be back on track again.

[Crista Anderson]

I'm still getting the same results. I may just give up on the healing brush and move on to another.

[MK_CPSUCSA]

We are not new to Photoshop and we are also having this problem. The Healing Brush acts in the same way as the Clone brush i.e. selecting a source > 'heal' area but instead of blending it just paints the exact same pixels as in the source selection. Adjusting diffusion etc. makes absolutely NO difference - outcome is the same with diffusion set at 1 or 7, and reseting the tool/using legacy does not change the outcome either.

It is frustrating that someone has upvoted the 'Correct' answer above - this is literally just someone explaining how they do things - like show and tell - and does not address the issue or make any suggestions as to a fix. The Clone tool is not a substitute for the Healing Brush - there is a reason they are two different tools with very different behaviours.

Photoshop devs please fix/answer.

[Soothing_impression5C6D]

Having the exact same problem. Did you find a solution??

[kristianw73576366]

I had the same problem. Came to your post and was frustrated that there was so many replies but not a true solution. Just suggestions. If youre still having this problem or tf anyone is having this problem i found out how to fix it. You must hold down the option or alt key for about 10 seconds on the area you would like to sample. After releasig your mouse, the tool should be refreshed. It worked for me, hopefully it works for you.

[nickk11596552]

exact same issue.  how can I get the Healing tools not to behave as a clone stamp tool.helpppppppppppppppp

[Lilybet]

I think I have figured it out - there seems to be more than one healing tool. One is called healing brush (and just has a bandaid symbol) This is not the spot healing tool that you are trying to use, this behaves more like the clone stamp tool. If you hit 'J' this is the default quick key to select the spot healing tool, you can tell its the spot healing tool because it has a dotted line half circle near the top of the bandaid symbol. I hope this helps! I had no idea there was a healing brush that looks ike the spot healing tool but behaves more like the clone stamp tool.

[Klon0D4C]

Thank you! The "j" solution worked!

[haerank43605739]

I have same problem. i fixed photoshop>preference> reset all the setting and voila~! 

[Soothing_impression5C6D]

Hi Crista, did you find out how to fix this problem (Healing Brush acting like Clone Stamp and not blending)? I'm having the same issue now and can't seem to find any answers anywhere. Please share your wisdom!

[PxMage]

A little late to the party here, but as mentioned above, there are two versions of the healing tool. The SPOT healing tool, and the healing tool.  The "J" fix didn't work for me, but if you edit the toolbar, and look for the spot healing tool and drag it on to the tool bar, it will show up.  As also mentioned above the icon is slightly different with a circular marquee next to the band-aid.  I have no use for the other one, in general, so I dragged it off the tool bar.

I was irritated by this for a month before I had the time to finally grind it into paste. Hope this helps someone else find it more quickly!

[Tranquil_play4903]

the best way to fix this is to uninstall the newest photoshop and use an older version like 22.2 it would fix the healing brush from cloning a bunch of things