Is anybody else fed up with updates that break the software?

[dhakerman]

Almost every time Adobe updates this program it becomes fundamentally broken and unusable. Everybody is paying monthly fees for software that doesn't work. My business relies on it and I don't have a choice but to use newer versions as I don't have time to go poking around through old versions to find one that works, nor should I have to, paying a monthly fee for this.

Older versions are broken in other ways so I look forward to updates that fix these issues, but new dramatic issues are always introduced. Why is Adobe so terrible with this? I'm completely at odds as to how this could happen EVERY TIME. If this seems out of context I'm referring to all the weird graphic/block issues that are happening with 21.2, not to mentin strange brush stuff that was happening prior, which is why I tried the update. I run an older version mostly now (18.1.6) because the newer versions simply don't work but it also has problems with corrupting files. Files often don't recover either.

When it works it's great but it seems like the past few years has been coding [cursing removed] for this program.

Please someone tell me  [cursing removed] is going on and why it's like this? I also think Adobe should suspend fees while their programs don't work, or provide refunds until they do. I've spent hours with their tech support also, doing remote screen help, and they usually end up trashing the preferences which works for a little while and then the problems return.

[JoshMacMac]

Same problem here. Unable to complete business critical tasks due to same issues. Reverting to old versions caused issues with text rendering in documents.

[JoshMacMac]

I am working on a 2017 MBP 15inch with Radeon Pro 555 2 GB

[dhakerman]

It wouldn't be such a problem if the older versions werent riddled with their own software-breaking bugs. For example the version prior to the latest, every now and then the file I'm working on will lock up, and the canvas does this weird thing where it gets stretched vertically and I can no longer work on it - luckily its a view issue only and I can save and close the file and reopen it until it happens again - but still incredibly annoying. The older version I use most frequently doesn't do this and works well in most respects except that it corrupts files every now and then. I have to constantly run backups to not lose more than an hour of work but it's an insane thing to have to worry about for software I'm paying for.

Does Adobe have anything to say?

[Nancy OShea]

There's no law that says you must accept every update.  If my app is working, I often skip incremental dot releases entirely.   And I never upgrade until I'm ready, especially when working on time sensitive project deadlines.  Turn off automatic app updates from your Creative Cloud desktop preferences (gear icon). 

Post back if you don't know how to do that. 

[dhakerman]

Like I said, this would be fine if older versions worked properly but they don't either. I can't remember the last time I used a fully stable release. Maybe around 5 or so years ago.

[Nancy OShea]

I'm using Photoshop version 20 without problems.  I also have version 18 installed in case I ever need it.  My system is an aging Win10 workstation with ample scratch disk and RAM.  

[tillikillit]

I have also had some luck with certain versions where I didn't experience issues. However, that is extremely rare. Most of the time I am dealing with some catastrophic bug that completely breaks the software and I have to unistall and go through previous version until I find one that works... and EVEN THEN... other adobe applications might not work with that version of that application.

Example: Media Encoder needs to be on the same version as Premiere in order for them to handshake properly. However, the most up to date version of Media Encoder doesn't allow me to import ANYTHING... period. It just doesnt work and is broken. So I have to use an older version. Which means that I can no longer send projects from Premiere to Media Encoder.

This is pretty much a DAILY occurance. I would say that at least 30% (sometimes more, I lost an entire day of work to adobe once) of my job is dealing with, and fixing adobe's broken hack job software.

... and I dont just use one thing like Photoshop. I use After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere, and Media Encoder every day at work... and they ALL break CONSTANTLY!

I couldn't agree more with the OP. Adobe software gets worse and worse with every update. I would switch to another piece of software in a HEARTBEAT if there was another equivalent option. There isn't though and that is why adobe has been able to abuse its users for as long as they have.

[rosenh]

You are 100% spot on.  Its madness.  I generally avoid incremental backups, but when things start to get glitchy, I finally succumb.  I felt I had to update to 20, because I kept losing my palettes.  Now that I have that [cursing removed], I keep doing the incrementals to try and get rid of other glitches.  Now?  My screen flashes black while I'm working.  Sketch sketch BLACK sketch move BLACK.  And if I go to another program and want to keep PSD open on my desktop so I can see it, NOPE, that screen has gone black.  It is literally unworkable.  But I can't go back to stuff that stopped working before.  Its an utter lack of quality control.  Are we surprised?  They don't HAVE to care, there is no viable competition.  It infuriates me.  Take some time, take some of the GAZILLION dollars you're squeezing out of us, and JUST. MAKE.IT.WORK.

[chong67]

LOL !

Adobe needs to do regression testing before releasing their software.

Lots of programming errors.

And from a big company??? 

[Sonicsnout]

Every. Single. Time. 

Every time I update Photoshop OR Windows, Photoshop is borderline unusable and I have to become a tech support guy for a few hours or even a couple of days before I can set it right. I've lost plenty of hours to this and it's costing me money. I just updated a week ago and now theres another one and I really need to put in some time. But Photoshop has started freezing again so I checked and of course there's another update already.  So hopefully this fixes the problem but more likely I'm in for a night of troubleshooting. And I really, really, really needed to catch up today. I needed to put six to eight hours and I think I've managed one and a half. I'm so screwed. 

Almost every time Adobe updates this program it becomes fundamentally broken and unusable. Everybody is paying monthly fees for software that doesn't work. My business relies on it and I don't have a choice but to use newer versions as I don't have time to go poking around through old versions to find one that works, nor should I have to, paying a monthly fee for this.

By @dhakerman

[jazz-y · Accepted solution]

If you get the same type of problems every time you update your operating system or Photoshop, then there may be a problem with the operating system or your hardware. Photoshop uses RAM intensively, I recommend starting by checking it. You can also check the event logs of the operating system and other hardware. Perhaps this will help to find the cause of constant freezes 

[Barbara24208542vpai]

Hummmm ... I feel for you. Fast forward and it's now 2022 and it's worse than ever I'm afraid!

[KShinabery212]

I notice more issues for Apple users when updates come or new versions.

So glad I switched to PC!!!!

[elic80910600]

Three years later and the same issue... Across multiple, high-end laptops, each of which smokes the system requirements, 4 out of 5 updates result in the cool new behavior of PHOTOSHOP WON'T OPEN OR CREATE A FILE!

Adobe... No more magic generative fill budget for your programmers, unitl they can deliver a stable release, that doesn't force users to constantly revert to a previous version.

...and while we're griping about poorly executed updates... Is it really necessary to reset my InDesign Workspace to Kindergartener Mode, with every little patch??

You're making expensive SaaS software for professionals. New iPad modes and AI Features are great, but we need the core functionality to remain intact.

[D Fosse]

Across multiple, high-end laptops

By @elic80910600

Laptops are generally problematic these days, for one single reason: they all come with dual GPUs. That's a problem because Photoshop (and Lightroom etc) uses the GPU for actual data processing. You can't send data to one GPU and get it back from the other, so there can only be one GPU in that equation. It's not just a passive one-way downstream flow like it used to be, and still is in simpler applications.  Multiple GPUs will/may conflict in Photoshop, and cause crashes and so on. The general advice is to completely disable the integrated GPU.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/troubleshoot-gpu-graphics-card.html 

[elic80910600]

OS is up-to-date. Integrated GPU is disabled. NVidia 4080 drivers are up-to-date. Settings are set. Resolutions are resolutioned... and stupid 'Scrubby Zoom' is unchecked... and none of that should matter.

"Laptops are generally problematic" was a reasonable answer in the Pentium era; it's a ludicrous answer in 2023. The whole industry is on high-end mobile devices today. 

Yes. Coordinating multiple moving targets of driver and OS releases is difficult, but 'Create New PSD' is not an emergant feature. It has arguably been THE core feature for as long as any of us have been Photoshopping. If the app itself will launch, that functionality should be intact, whether the GPU is optimized or not. Full-Stop

[D Fosse]

OK, but all you told us was that Photoshop wouldn't open. But if you have disbled the integrated GPU (still a very common laptop problem) that's ruled out.

I suggest you tell us specifically what your problems are. We get that you're unhappy, but we don't know why.

Also post the full Help > System Info so we can see your hardware configuration.

[elic80910600]

Lol. Photoshop won't open A FILE. The app starts, will generate a "New File" dialog box or File Browser, but won't actually load anything in... I'm just dropped back to the opening 'Suggestions' page. As I said, when this happens, I must generally either revert to the previous version; or more often, uninstall and reinstall Photoshop, at which point normal functionality returns...again, super-annoying, but has nothing to do with my hardware config.

In any event... I just came to vent into the void about poorly executed updates, but your commitment to the cause is admirable. Keep towing the company line and fighting the good fight Fosse!

[didiermazier]

To these all excellent comments I would add that updating any software without having previously updated the OS is always risky.

Furthermore on Mac when they are so frequent MacOs updates these days …

[defaultfhz2mpjueyo4]

Photoshop is increasingly buggy and infuriating, and the tech support is terrible. It's becoming harder and harder to retain any kind of work flow. 

[D Fosse]

@defaultfhz2mpjueyo4 

This kind of unspecified complaint is no use to anyone. If you have specific problems, describe them and maybe we can figure out what it is.

What I can say is that about 95% of all Photoshop problems we see here are caused by an outdated or underpowered GPU or a bad GPU configuration like conflicting dual graphics.

For most of us, Photoshop works without problems.

[Nancy OShea]

If we can't reproduce it, it's not a 'bug.'  🤔

Does your system meet the min-system requirements?

• Windows 11 (64-bit), Windows 10 versions 22H2, 21H2, 21H1;
• MacOS 14 (Sonoma), 13 (Ventura,  12 (Monterey), 11 (Big Sur).

- https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/system-requirements.html
- https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/system-requirements.html
- https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/photoshop-cc-gpu-card-faq.html