How do I turn off Libraries function in Photoshop?

Unfortunately, it's not possible to completely turn off the Libraries function in Photoshop. However, there are a few ways to minimize its presence and impact:

1. Hide the Libraries panel:

• Go to the Window menu.
• Uncheck the box next to Libraries.

This will remove the dedicated Libraries panel from your workspace.

2. Prevent automatic syncing:

• Open the Creative Cloud desktop app.
• Click on the gear icon in the top right corner (Preferences).
• Select Creative Cloud Libraries.
• Under Cloud Documents Settings, choose Pause or Resume Syncing.

This will stop Photoshop from automatically synchronizing your libraries to the cloud and other devices.

3. Avoid saving assets to libraries:

• When creating or importing assets, pay attention to the options presented.
• Don't check the box to "Add to Library" unless you specifically want to save it there.

4. Consider alternative methods:

• If you primarily use Libraries for storing brushes, patterns, or styles, you can save them locally in folders within Photoshop's presets directory.
• For sharing assets across projects, explore using folders and project files instead of relying on Libraries.

Remember, while you can't completely disable Libraries, these methods can help you reduce its visibility and potential impact on your workflow.

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By @panda35150389cw8b

Thanks. In the add color swatch dialogue, there was a box checked to add it to the library and that was giving me the "Library is read-only" dialogue. I wish there was just a button you can click to make Adobe apps not access the Internet at all and be totally local. My apps in 2024 are slower than they were 10 years ago.

That was surprisingly easy... I wish I'd asked sooner!  Thanks so much!!

Thank you!