Keyboard not working properly in Photoshop CS5 (Mac OS)

[Guest]

Hi, I am having issues with my newly installed Photoshop CS5. Most of my keyboard functions are not working, as if Photoshop did not recognize that keys were eing pressed.

When creating a new document or saving a file, I cannot type anything into the document name field. Same happens when trying to create a new folder to save in.

No tool shortcuts work (M for marquee, B for brush, V for move, etc.). On-canvas brush changes ([ and ] for size, { and } for hardness) also do not work.

Most regular shortcuts do work (Cmd+Z, Cmd+S, etc.) but "advanced" shortcuts do not work (Cmd+Alt+Z, Cmd+Shift+Z, etc.).

Any idea on why this might be happening? I used Photoshop CS4 before with no problems. Other Adobe programs (Dreamweaver, Flash, Acrobat, etc.) are working normally.

Thank you.

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

Do you have access to a second keyboard you could switch with your current one just to make sure it is not a hardware-issue?

Other than that: have you updated Photoshop yet?

[Guest]

Yes, I've updated Photoshop. Unfrtunately I don't think I can change keyboards, as I'm using a laptop, not a desktop. But I'm pretty sure the problem must be with Photoshop, as I'm not having any trouble with other software, and some keyboard commands (Cmd+S, Cmd+Z, Cmd+D, etc.) do work.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

This is kind of »shot in the dark«, but you could always try trashing your prefs (after making sure all customized presets like Actions, Patterns, Brushes etc. have been saved and making a note of the Preferences you’ve changed) if you have not done so already.

[miguelathayde]

Shed,

You solved the problem? I'm in same situation... you can help me?

(sorry the bad english)

tnks!

[Guest]

I've gone through Adobe Support and they figured it is a user setting problem, told me to contact Apple about it. But other than that, no, I haven't figured it out.

[crisprice]

Same issue for me - some of my normal PS key commands suddenly don't work mid-job. Also had the cloning stamp cursor change to an arrow and wouldn't function. In all cases I flip to another app using Cmd tab, then come back to PS using the same keys and the problems have gone away, but nonetheless annoying. This might have also been triggered after recently uninstalling most of my CS4 apps using the uninstaller, including PS. Will re-install and see if that helps.

[J453]

What Version of OS X?

[crisprice]

I'm using 10.6.5

Mac Pro1,1 2 x 3ghz Dual-Core Intel Xeon, 13gb RAM, ATI Radeon HD 5770

[flysi3000]

This is interesting - I have a similar situation, except in my case, Photoshop is behaving as though I have the Option key held down on my keyboard. If I draw a selection with the Marquee tool, or make a shape with one of the Shape tools, it draws from the center. If I try to drag a guide from the rulers on the sides, it swaps the orientation of my guide to the opposite of what I'm trying to do.

I tried some troubleshooting stuff, like resetting my Photoshop prefs, disconnecting/reconnecting my keyboard, and logging out/restarting my iMac. Then I tried PSCS5 on my laptop, and since I got the same deal on both machines, I'm thinking it might have something to do with the latest OS update that just came out. The fact that you're using 10.6.5 as well could be further evidence of that theory. Anyone else?

I attached a video of what I'm experiencing. Note that at the beginning of the video, when I launch Photoshop, the File Open dialog box opens on its own - I'm not doing that.

PS. Just tried Illustrator CS5 and am experiencing the same behavior. Flash CS5 is fine, though - as is everything else on my machine.

[ashrakay]

I'm having the same problem.  It occurred a day after upgrading to osx 10.6.5

[Flashvert]

Which mouse and what mouse options do you have in you user account Mouse Preferences?  Especially I'm interested in how you have configured the 'right click' (assuming you have the latest Apple mouse ...

[Jesper Storm Bache]

For a discussion regarding Mac OSX 10.6.45 and keyboard problems see: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/752602

[nikbon]

I actually have the same problem in CS4. Keyboard shortcuts work for a short time after launching Photoshop, but then stop responding. The Quit menu item is also greyed out, so I have to 'force quit' Photoshop to relaunch it. I've reinstalled Photoshop twice, and the problem is still not resolved. Photoshop is the only program that's doing this, all other CS4 apps are fine. I'm running OSX 10.6.6.

[Chris Cox]

nikbon - that sounds like a completely different problem.

You probably should create a new topic and give more details (OS version, exact version of Photoshop, troubleshooting steps you've tried, etc.).

[yo-paisan]

I'm having the same problem...  at first everything was fine, then one day I was not able to hold the shift key down and draw a perfect circle/square, etc.. I couldn't hit the space bar to initiate the hand tool, I couldn't zoom with the space+alt key...  so I decided that I would uninstall CS5 and reinstall it and then everything seemed to work fine.

Then I started using Photoshop and within the first few minutes the key command for the hand tool appears to have broken again, however I can still use the shift key to draw a perfect shape.

I'm using an iMAC with OSX 10.6.6 and Creative Suite 5 Web Premium...  it's driving me fricken NUTS!!!!

WTH?!  Am I just retarted?  Is there something new going on in CS5 that wasn't happening in previous versions?

[yo-paisan]

OK I just ran some Adobe Software updates since I reinstalled CS5... and then I rebooted...  and then I re-opened photoshop and the shortcuts began working again.  I'm pretty sure it was the reboot that did it, but... I don't know.  I'll re-post if I find any more quirks to talk about that might help other users investigate or trouble shoot their problems with it.

GOOD LUCK, I hope I don't have to come back here....  LOL 

[nhale1775]

Hello, I had been researching this issue because something similar happened to me in Illustrator CS5.

When the program would start, I would get an unknown error message while fonts were loading. I tried trashing my AIprefs file first, by renaming it Aiprefs.old, that didn't work. I tried holding down CTRL + SHIFT + ALT while restarting the program, that didn't work.

Here's what DID WORK.

Rename the entire "ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS5 SETTINGS" folder to have a .old extension.

Restart Adobe Illustrator while holding down Ctrl + Shift + Alt.

Voila!

This successfully fixed my problems, as Adobe will create a brand spankin' new Settings folder when you do this.

I imagine this works for Photoshop and InDesign as well if people have a similar problem.

All my best,

J

[matja78]

My fellow worker had the same kind of problem with her Mac and Phostoshop CS5 and we managed to fix it this way.

When you are in Photoshop and editing text, try pressing Mac-command key and space-bar at the same time. These keys are shortcut keys for both Phostoshop and OS X operating system. Somehow if you press them when editing text in Photoshop, the default input device is also changed on operating system. This is why keyboard does not work properly with Photoshop anyore, at least it was like this in our case and as i said, you can change this back to normal by pressing Mac-command key and space-bar when working with Phostohop.

You can change command-key + space-bar shortcut settings on operating system in the System settings menu -> International -> Input Menu.

[Anastasiy Safari]

I'm having the same issue for maybe a month with PS CS5. Not sure, what triggered the bug.

Cmd-Z and many other shortcuts are not working.They stop working randomly.

I'm not using Spaces or any thing like that...

Jesper's utility doesn't help. What helps - is switching to other Application and then back. But it does help for 2 minutes or so.

P.S.  It seems to me in case of Photoshop the problem has something to do  with PS's Workspaces. When I switch Workspaces the problem sometimes vanishes  away. And I defined a lot of workspaces these days (that don't  redefine keyboard though).

[Reimund T]

I'm also having problems as described here http://forums.adobe.com/message/3586185#3586185

Basically I lose keyboard focus after I've clicked in a HTML panel and then switch application back and forth. It can be temporarily resolved by clicking the panel again. But switching application back and forth once more will trigger the bug once more as well.

I'm on Mac OSX 10.6.7.

Photoshop CS5

Things I've tried to no avail:

• Deleting the user pref folder.
• Reseting with shift+opt+cmd
• Changing to english keyboard in Mac OSX
• Quitting all other applications.

[Joel Glovier]

B.U.G.I wrote:

My fellow worker had the same kind of problem with her Mac and Phostoshop CS5 and we managed to fix it this way.

When you are in Photoshop and editing text, try pressing Mac-command key and space-bar at the same time. These keys are shortcut keys for both Phostoshop and OS X operating system. Somehow if you press them when editing text in Photoshop, the default input device is also changed on operating system. This is why keyboard does not work properly with Photoshop anyore, at least it was like this in our case and as i said, you can change this back to normal by pressing Mac-command key and space-bar when working with Phostohop.

Thank you - this is the exact problem I was having too, and after trying exactly as you suggested, it is resolved.

For anyone else, here's how I resolved it with above instructions...

1) open a text layer for editing

2) hit cmd+spacebar

3) OSX spotlight will open; just click back into the Photoshop window where your text box is open for editing.

4) if your issue was the same as mine, your arrow keys, delete key, etc will be functioning properly again.

Thanks again!

[frankieandshadow_com]

This recently started happening to me on a PC version of CS4.

Like B.U.G.I 14-Mar-2011 06:13, I could solve it by pressing the PC equivalent ALT+SPACE, with no image open, and all the keyboard shortcuts started working again.

[jihanem65975880]

This worked for me! Thank you!

[nikbon]

Well, after spending some time on the phone with Adobe trying to resolve this issue, then spending hours at the Genius bar at an Apple store, it turned out to be something on my Mac reacting with Photoshop. I had to do a complete back-up, then Erase and Re-install of my OS. Extremely time consuming and annoying, but did the trick. The issue is gone. Apple said that sometimes plugins or other applicaiton preferences can cause corruption. One of the Geniuses I met with said he actually does a complete erase and reinstall every year to prevent things like this from happening. Yuck!!