How do I keep a floating window on top of a tabbed document so that it can be used as a reference while drawing/painting?

[brendabanu]

Just started using Photoshop CC on my iMac and I have noticed this issue which I did not have using windows based computers. Any floating window just seems to hide in the background as soon as I click on the tabbed document I want to work on. This is an issue for me since I like to have a couple of references open while painting plus I always have another with nothing but my color palette in it. I've already gone over the preferences but can't seem to find the way to avoid this and the options from Widow>Arrange weren't any help also resizing all windows so that they don't overlap each other ends up wasting a lot of screen real estate.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Good day!

Not sure I understand as I have been a Mac user so long and have no use for tabbed windows.

Are you saying that on Windows the active Document need not be the topmost one?

Could you please post a screenshot to illustrate the issue?

Regards,

Pfaffenbichler

[Guest]

brendabanu it will be great if you post the screenshot.

[brendabanu]

c.pfaffenbichler meruhelp this is what I'm used to in Windows windowsWORKSPACE | Flickr - Photo Sharing! and yes the active document does not need to be the top most window. This enables me to have my references as floating windows and keep them where I need them as I paint.

This is what I have to do while working on my Mac macWORKSPACE | Flickr - Photo Sharing! keeping references to either side using floating windows or options from Window>Arrange. If I drag them closer to the area I want to work on, the window will either disappear behind the active document window or it will overlap as you can see in the two images in the top left corner. Aside from the extra work from rearranging windows this way I feel that I'm loosing a good chunk of screen (see yellow striped area).

[Guest]

has your issue been fixed?

[scottcampbell-seattle]

This can't be fixed unfortunately. It is super annoying. What we (brendabanu and others) want is a feature, like on the PC, that never allows floating windows to go behind the application background window. For those of us who have multiple windows sharing data that are open on multiple monitors it is unbearable...actually a bug not a feature.

[MikeDcomics]

I've just moved to using a Mac and this really does appear to be a bug. I can't believe how annoying it is to have your floating reference window disappear behind your active pane...it doesn't happen on the pc. And it looks like nobody has a workable solution.

[Pete.Green]

Have you tried turning off the application frame?

Window > Application Frame

Does that help?

[Sergiotron]

That doesn't help. I can't believe we can't have a reference floating window on top all the time when working on Mac... It's very useful on Windows!

I do pixel art, so having an "Window/Arrange/New window" (set at 100% zoom) for my documents is VERY important. I feel so frustrated.

[danceswithweb]

I've had this same exact issue. Not sure how to solve it completely but if you make all of your windows into floating windows (with none attached to the Photoshop bar at top) then they will stay on top of the application frame. You can even tab your floating windows as long as each group of tabs stays floating.

[benj_v]

Must implement an "always bring to front" option while doing a right click in a floating window

[Kaitlyn Elizabeth]

I would very much like for this to be implemented into Mac computers. Is anyone aware of a work-around in the meantime?

[Derek Cross]

Can't you just "tear off" the tab so you have two image windows open and then you size and position each to suit?

[agile_idea157F]

Yes you can do that Derek and it does seem like the only solution, but you spend time moving windows around and re-sizing and when you are doing this all day it is very frustrating, time consuming and really a very inelegant way to deal with this. I'm very surprised there is no real fix for this on a mac as this is a huge issue for me also. On windows it really is extremely handy to have a floating windows always appear over a docked one, even if the docked one has focus.

[Pete.Green]

Hi cuchu,

Feel free to vote for and post your feature requests here: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family

You could also use Window > Arrange > Tile vertically or horizontally as a quicker way to see multiple open documents at once without dragging and resizing windows manually.

Regards,

Pete

[agile_idea157F]

Thank you Pete, I did just that. Thank you for your solution also. Again while it does work it is not optimal. Most of the time I am floating much smaller files over a large design, using the Window>Arrange>Tile leads to a lot of wasted screen real estate and the small image has more vertical or horizontal space than it really needs. Therefore I would end up floating all windows anyway. The Windows OS behaviour is still the best in my opinion.

[kaiwenz0131]

Could you post the link again since it does not work any more ? Also, it's August 2017 and this feature is still not there...

[Pete.Green · Accepted solution]

Thanks for letting me know that link was down Kaiwenz. I've fixed the above link.

Here it is again for posting other feature requests: Photoshop Family Customer Community

And here is a thread relative to having a reference image on top that others can add their vote/voice to: Photoshop: Reference image holder as a panel | Photoshop Family Customer Community

[Violet_C]

I found this: try to change the check box state. And remember to close the software and open it again.   

It worked for me :).  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1hcCEMzkbU

https://minhajulhaque.com/photoshop-preferences-for-better-photo-editing/

[iriss90593928]

Didn't work for me. All that does is prevent you from docking the floating wondows back to the program.

It's annoying this is not an option for Mac

[Ketvi5C40]

Dear ADOBE company please pay attention to the problem that annoys the users!

I spent one day of my life finding a solution. And I couldn't.  And I'm terribly angry!

Because I do not understand how it was possible not to solve the question for so many years? As we see the issue was recorded in 2014, today 2021! How it is possible for so much time no find solution and fix it  and do the same like  for "Windows" users?! There are not only Windows users as you see. 

All the solution that were proposed above are not convenient? Do you understand? Are uncomfortable for permanent work! You add not the necessary functions in the program, but that  really need you can not solve so many years. 

[Ketvi5C40]

it's absolutely different and not solve for a problem

The floating window must automatically stay on top of the workspace

Like in Windows system 

[Janne the Searcher]

Hello,

I don't know if you have found a solution. But this works, using the mac notes app. Look at this on Youtube. It's easy to import images to a notes document, and you can of course have many images in the same document also. Very handy for reference purposes. 

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/j9n_eUkUcBU

[Earth Oliver]

How is that Ps doesn't include this feature? Ps is used by artists and most artists use reference images in their workflows, yet Ps doesn't allow for an always-on-top floating window? Why?

[Springheel]

So nine years later...any solution to this issue?