No Pre-set patterns in Photoshop

[RichardClarke]

I have had Photoshop for years but have never had any of the preset patterns that apparently I am meant to have.  I have search for a Patterns folder on my Mac which is there but entirely empty.  Does anyone have any idea how I can access the patterns that should be there?

[Ged_Traynor]

@RichardClarke have you checked the Patterns panel via Window > Patterns

[melissapiccone]

You aren't missing much - they aren't great. Here is where they live on my mac. You could try to unistall and reinstall - they should automatically get installed for you. You can probably also search and maybe find them. 

 

[davescm]

In addition to the above, if you don't see the legacy patterns folder then, inside the patterns panel (opened with Window > Patterns), click on the icon at the top right and in the menu that opens click on 'Legacy Patterns and More'.

Dave

[Trevor.Dennis]

Hi Richard

AFAIK most Photoshop presets work the same way. If you create a new brush, pattern, layer style etc. they exist in a Photoshop Settings file.  Note: Not Preferences.  You don't lose them when resetting Preferences.

You can see below a pattern I created, but the Preset\Pattern folder is empty.  If I left it as it is and did a major version update, I would lose that pattern.

However, if I create a new group and drag thos patterns into it, and then Export them...

I now have a new .pat file that contains those patterns.

Although that file now exists on your hard drive, you can still lose it. 

It will remain in the previous version presets folder, but after two major updates all presets are gone.

BTW that's the first place to look if you think you have lost presets.

I like to play safe and keep all presets in folders in My Documents, and keep a shortcut to that folder in the appropriate Photoshop Presets folder.  I'm guessing that you know how to create shortcuts for file folders?

[Trevor.Dennis]

Just to be clear, if I delete a presets folder, so long as it has been exported to .pat .abr etc. then you can import it back.