Lighting effects not showing handles so cant move or adjust them, have tried all common fixes.

[Banshey]

I am trying to use the Lighting Effects filter on the latest version of photoshop on windows with the latest version of Nvidia GPU drivers (1060 6gb card) on Windows 10. When I open the Lighting panel I can add lights and move the sliders but there are no handles to adjust and move the lighting itself. 

I have tried the Show > All settings and that doesn't work as well as the show transform controls workaround too. 

Pulling my hair out with this issue. Such a pain. Cannot find a fix and getting more and more frustrated with these PS bugs. 

Any help would be much appreciated. 

Thanks!

[davescm · Accepted solution]

Lighting effects, like 3D uses the old Open GL code. To use that, go to Preferences - Technology Previews and check Deactivate Native Canvas. Then click OK and close then restart Photoshop.

Dave

[Banshey]

You're a lifesaver! 

Thanks so much!

[yaramehdi]

Thank you for your answer, was strugglinh with the same problem. it's fixed now ibut i can still not see the circle for the spotlight. Any help please?

[Ayush280299345ux0]

I have also same problem and till now i dont get know how do i fix it...

[davescm · Accepted solution]

@Ayush280299345ux0   Lighting effects uses 3D functionality which is deprecated and is being removed from Photoshop. If you need that functionality Adobe recomennd v 22.2

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/photoshop/kb/3d-faq.html

Dave

[William227072114ccg]

Thanks Dave, but it didn't change anything for me - I have no control over the lights' positions.  It's odd this is part of "3D" - haven't Lighting Effects been around since v2.5 or 3?

Will have to make my own effects using layers. 

[Stable Diffusion]

This didn't work, and there's still no control whatsoever.

If Adobe is removing this fearure from Photoshop then they don't seem care about what their customers needs are; it's quite obvious that people do use this feature. Why would they simply cripple the functionality and just leave it sitting in the application? It's not very useful to dangle a carrot in our faces and expect us to just sit there idly.

[jane-e]

This didn't work

By @Stable Diffusion

What didn't work? Were you unable to find Photoshop 22.2 on the Creative Cloud? Or it failed to install? Please clarify.

Jane

[Stable Diffusion]

The suggestion of deactivating native canvas and restarting photoshop did not work; lighting effects cannot be moved. One shouldn't need to use old versions of software when they pay for the latest and these features are still included within the app. If the Adobe doesn't want to fix the broken lighting effects then they should be removed altogether. It would be like me selling you tires that are flat and expecting you to drive on them, then telling you just to put the old ones back on your car and drive with those. 

[davescm]

Lighting effects uses the 3D engine. 3D is deprecated and being removed from Photoshop. If you need to use the 3D engine you can use v22.2 which you can install alongside the current version.

Dave

[Shawn Bauguess]

The Idea that they are removing features instead of adding them is the problem.  We are aware that adobe "for now" will let us install old versions, but they are actively making workflows more cumbersome.  This is ridiculous especially for a simple lighting effect that has been in the software since like version 8... Also that they are not just removing the features but still including them in the menu but broken? again ridiculous. 

[Stable Diffusion]

As mentioned already that's not a solution. I can't install two versions of Photoshop on my system due to limited space and resources. If Adobe isn't going to fix or support these features in their current release then they should not be there at all. 

[Ignats27237843a7jz]

If a function is being removed Adobe should either provide a replacement or give subscribers a discount. But I won't hold my breath.

[garymak]

I agree with you and Shawn B completely.  Amen!  Unfortunately,  basically we need to understand that Adobe is a siloed organization, where each group is independent of the other, and, no real evidence to the contrary, clearly they are not interested in user feedback.   There is no way to get a direct answer to a question, such as, for example when you call Apple or MS for tech support.  All tech support is out of India via VoIP,  often but not always with a 3rd party, and they cannot connect to any other part of the organization for information. (I've been told this by numerous tech support people. ) You can't ask questions like "If the default is 16bits, why does this function require 8 bits?" Or "why does "Lighting Effects" still show up in the menu if 3D rendering has been removed and it depends on 3D rendering?" or "What is replacing this fundamental 3D rendering function?" or even the most basic question, "How do I get 3D rendering to work on PS2023?"   You'll never get a direct or honest answer.  I can't tell you how many hours of my valuable time has been wasted by waiting for callbacks from "senior technical advisors" who never read the notes (and are often confused with the time difference between India and the rest of the world for call backs!), had no clue about the problem, and wanted to go through the exact same process I went through with the last "senior technical advisor" again, as if my time was their time... And add to that the lousy quality VoIP connection plus the thick accents, and you have a recipe for ulcers. 

My only suggestion is to pound them with emails at customercare-support@adobe.com BUT wait! That's a dead email. "Unmonitored mailbox"!!!!  (Such an Orwellian titled email address!) How's that for being interested in your problems?  And that email says "For a list of support phone numbers, please visit our Contact page."  But on that contact page, there aren't any phone numbers!!!!!!!!  Wow!

 The only way I know of getting in touch with Adobe is via https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html and loading the ChatGPT chat window, having to fight with that piece of inane robot software, and ultimately, after much effort, get transferred to a guy from India on the chat and then, through him/her, arrange a phone call... that's the only way to actually talk to anyone remotely related to Adobe and hope you might be able to get some answer to your specific question.  (We all know how helpful "FAQs are, right?)

Good luck!

And you think this is bad now?  Wait til they start replacing human "technical advisors" with ChatGPT!!   What a Kafkaesque world it will be!  

[courtney5C4A]

I am having the same issue now with 2022. I followed the above, it worked for a day and now today when I re-opend my file the grips have disappeared again! I have unistalled and re-installed photoshop 2022 now twice. Same issues, no grips are appearing. Anyone have a solution? s

[vanessalongthorn]

same! tried the above steps. No grips and cant drag the lights 😞

[barryjhk]

I also have the same problem. When he can fix, come on and off but the grips are never found. Have followed all recommended fixes. Thank you.

[davescm]

@barryjhk 

Lighting effects uses the 3D engine which is deprecated and being removed from Photoshop.

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/photoshop/kb/3d-faq.html

If you need it then you will need to install and use v 22.2

Dave

[jane-e]

@courtney5C4A and @vanessalongthorn ,

Things have changed since this post was made. In Photoshop 2022, 3D is being discontinued. Adobe recommends using Photoshop version 22.2 (from February 2021) if you need more stable performance with Photoshop’s 3D features. See this help page for details:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/3d-faq.html

You can install both 22.2 and 23.4.1 (current version). Be sure to choose the option to not remove the previous version when installing.

Jane

[Jorgestipy]

that's not right photoshop, please fix that issue, even if 3D have been discontinued. 

[Angelique28054449roky]

I think I'm having the same problem. I've tried everything suggested and it's just not fixing the problem. 

[Batman8482]

I have tried all the suggestions. GPU is compatible, RGB/8 bit, lots of RAM,  Deactivate Native Canvus is checked, Performance is set to the GPU and Use Open CL is unchecked... on and on. I even reset my prefrences. Still no adjustment handles. Any other suggestions?

[davescm]

As stated above in this thread, 3D (which includes lighting effects)  is deprecated and being removed. If you need 3D functions then you will need to use v22.2.

Dave

[Batman8482]

Any alternatives other than an earlier version such as a good plugin? If not, I'll back up to v22.2. Thanks for your help