Layers Panel Keeps Starting Collapsed

[ThioJoe]

This only started happening I think with the previous (25.4?) update, or at least a couple months ago.

Basically the Layers panel always starts collapsed after opening a new blank document. See screenshot below. I have to double click it to expand it. At first I thought it was an issue with my custom workspace, but then I tried enabling Essentials (Default) and resetting it, and it still does it!

Things I've Tried:

• Switching to Essentials (Default) and then selecting "Reset Essentials" to be sure
• Ensuring the preference for "Auto-Collapse Iconic Panels" is unchecked
• Ensuring "Auto Show Hidden Panels" is checked
• Enabling / Disabling "Lock workspace"

Things I've Noticed:

• For both the Essentials workspace (and even my custom workspace), if I hit Reset workspace, the Layers panel DOES expand how it should. However, if I then close Photoshop and re-open, new documents again start with it minimized.
• The panel is indeed collapsed, not just shrunken like you'd drag it small. Because when I right click the Layers panel thing, there is an option to "Expand Panel" which isn't there when it's expanded

Screenshot:

[Semaphoric]

It looks like it's going off the bottom of the screen. Can you drag up the top of the panel group? Could you post a screenshot of the entire workspace?

[Joseph Naulty]

No it's not.  It's minimized!  It keeps minimizing this panel no matter how many times i reset it and change options.

[D Fosse]

What's your screen resolution? Display scaling other than 100% in Windows?

How many panel groups in the column?

[ThioJoe · Accepted solution]

So very strangely, literally after a month, it seemed to fix itself in the middle of me making a screen recording to demonstrate the problem. I didn't do anything special, I had just toggled between maximized and non-maximized window modes a couple times to show that the panel wasn't going off the bottom of the screen (which it wasn't). But then, after maximizing it like normal and resetting the workspace, then restarting photoshop, now the layer panel opens as expected, for both my workspace and the default essentials workspace. After a month of not working. 🤔🤔🤔 Not sure exactly what sequence fixed it but I think it had to do with resizing the window

So I guess if anyone else has this issue maybe try double clicking the title bar to not be maximized, then resize the window a bit randomly, then put it back, and maybe it will fix it? Very bizarre.

Anyway here's a full screenshot of my workspace, but again it was doing it with the essentials default one too. My screen resolution is 3840x2160, Windows is set to 150% scaling, and Photoshop's "UI Scaling" setting is set to auto.

[Saint1228]

That worked, very strange indeed. Thanks for the tip!

[wolf_0]

I was having this exact issue, and your suggestion, strange as it might be, actually fixed it for me. Thank you so much.

[FIavio]

Thanks! I was already going crazy, but your tip solved it like a charm!

[Sasha_Plakhova1239]

I'm in total shock, but your advice helped me too. Thank you!

[chrispdxwraps]

Had this issue and tried as few steps as possible until it worked to confirm the solution. Your solution is exactly what you have to do for some reason

To be clear: Unmaximize Photoshop > resize the photoshop window > double click the Layers panel to bring it back up > Close Photoshop > Open Photoshop.