Lightning Effects missing after 25.4 newest update

[htdmbzl]

Hey Community,

after the update some days ago the option in the filter category -> render filters - > Lightning Effects is completely missing. Not greyed out (like openGL or cmyk mode). It's just gone. 
I've used it for YEARS and now it just disappeared? Any news regarding the effect? Was it removed in the version? Or maybe moved to another category?

Does anyone got the same issue?

Running on Win 11
GPU is a RADEON 6900XT

Thanks for help

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

@htdmbzl 

Lighting Effects uses the 3D engine and has been removed due to changes in operating systems: Direct X in Windows and Metal on macOS..

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

PS 22.2 is the last stable version for 3D and lighting effects. It's still available in the CC app as of this writing.

Jane

[htdmbzl]

Thanks for the fast reply. Makes me sad adobe is removing the tool. Always loved it.

PS: I downgraded to 25.3.1 and it's still available there (maybe other 3D engine stuff is missing tho). 

I guess I'll enjoy it as long as I still can then.

[jane-e]

Thanks for the fast reply. Makes me sad adobe is removing the tool. Always loved it.

By @htdmbzl

You're welcome 🙂. You can have multiple versions of PS installed 22.x, 23.x, 24.x. 25.x. You can only have one dot release: 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, 25.4.

We all hope lighting effects will come back, but we have no inside information. It doesn't work with Direct X.

Jane

[rayek.elfin]

@jane-eIf I may correct you: Windows has had no changes to that effect. It always supported and still supports both DirectX AND OpenGL (and the newer Vulcan).

True: MacOS indeed depricated the use of OpenGL a while ago, which is the reason why Photoshop's 3D engine, built on OpenGL, had to be removed.

It's Apple's decision that forced the hands of developers everywhere.

All that said: OpenGL is considered an aged programming interface for 2D and 3D, and is replaced by Vulcan / DirectX / Metal depending where you look.

[jane-e]

Thanks @rayek.elfin  😊

[Jeff Arola · Accepted solution]

Adobe has been in the process of removing all 3D from photoshop and Lighting Effects is one of the filters that depended on the 3D engine, so i guess 24.5 was the version they decided to do a major removal of 3D, although there are some remnants still left like the 3D panel and Filter>3D>Generate Bump and Normal Map which crash photoshop.

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

While most of us hope Adobe would have a replacement Lighting Effects, which go back all the way to photoshop 3, no one that knows can say until Adobe gives the okay.

[htdmbzl]

Thank you for the fast reply. Sad adobe is removing all 3D engine from ps 😕
I hope we'll have a replacement similar to Lightning Effects. I just downgraded to 25.3.1. It seems to be the last version where the filter is available.

[JeanPierre33]

Bonjour, j'ai constaté le même problème et c'est ben dommage que ce filtre d'éclairage est été supprimé.

[Jer Bear]

Perhaps Adobe can put back the version of Lighting Effects we used prior to the addition of the 3D engine.

[matthewp17579616]

I went on the Adobe site via Creative Cloud and an older version of PS was there that had the filter. Not a premanent solution but good enough for now.