Older Nik software collection no longer appears in the filter options in Photoshop cc 2020

[Lightroom 5.7.1 issues]

My older Nik software which worked in Photoshop CC 2019 no longer appears in the filters in Photoshop CC 2020. How do I get it back?

[Pastingal]

Very effective post. Thank you.

I found from that an event simplier solution : choose directly the plugins subfolder during installation

[johnb35825771]

Worked a treat, for me...thanks

[stevengotts]

not on win 7 for me. It does not solve the problem for me. back to Photoshop 2019 for me. I'm so tired of Adobe anymore.

[p52cox1]

Please bear with me on this, but I may have found another piece of the NIK not working in CC2020 puzzle. I upgraded to 2020 recently on my windows desktop, on which i have migrated NIK to successive Photoshop iterations since 2012. 2020 successfully found  NIk and it works fine on the dsktop. However, on a new laptop, with no history of NIK or Photoshop upgrades, 2020 couldnt' find NIK, not even if I pasted the Google/NIK files to the 2020 Plugins file folder. I found my old original NIK exe file and installed it on my new laptop, and NIK works fine. Here is what the NIK software installed which didn't exist before i tried transfering the exe file

C/ProgramFiles/Google/Analog Efex, Color Efex etc etc . So i'm no programmer, but i surmise 2020 is looking for this Google folder under programs before it can launch the NIK collection since the filter files are all under Plugins/GOOGLE/etc etc Would love feedback on this thanks

[stevengotts]

Thanks, sounds interesting, I'll attempt your fix Monday.
All the Best

[Julius Frilander]

Thank you!!!!!

[christied55866019]

I too, am using the old free Nik collection as well. I lost it when I updated to Ps2020, I was able to reinstall it, and it use it, but when I apply my edits it doesn't save the changes when it reverts back to the Ps panel. Any clue what's wrong? Thanks!

[geedee6]

I found a solution on youtube that might work for you and others who experience filters not applying upon exit of the plugin. Try coverting the layer you're working on into a Smart Object prior to using the Nik filter; disregard warning; apply desired filters; exit; flatten layers when finished. 

[visual-dope.eu]

Great, thanks, that's the solution for me.

[franchelski]

well done to you...... workd a treat now

[jimsnap]

Thanks Ged, works perfectly.

[dupi5329547]

Thank you for sharing! This worked for me also! 

[c0untryg1rl]

Adobe has set up a new location for plug-ins to be installed, in a common folder, outside of the specific versions' program folders, This enables Photoshop to find your plug-ins when there is a major update. Here's a link to Adobe's help file regarding this. 
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/plug-ins-photoshop-troubleshooting.html#Locatepluginfolders

[marinam29518110]

Thanks a lot! It works with smart object!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bobbyjoeno1]

Ive tried copying file into folder , it works and opens Nik Software and I can use it but when I press OK nothing happens.

UPDATE Yes by changing to a smart filter prior to edit in Nik works with saving .....Thank you.

[frank.alexander]

This was the fix for me too! I run MacOS and just upgraded from Sierra to Catalina. On Catalina I was finally able to install all of the latest Adobe products, including Photoshop 2020. I had the old Install file for Nik, but it wouldn't install for Photoshop 2020. Good thing I  didn't uninstall PS CC 2018. I was able to go into /Applications/Adobe Photoshop CC 2019/Plug-ins/ and copy the entire "Google" folder to the /Applications/Adobe Photoshop 2020/Plug-ins/. Relaunched PS 2020 and works like a charm!!

Update: I still had an issue after getting the plugins loaded. After making my changes in the plugins, when I tried to apply it, Photoshop would crash. I had to change a setting in Nik to fix it. The default is for Nik to create a copy of the later and apply the changes to the copy. If you change that to not create a copy and adjust the current layer, that fixes the big. Solution found here:

https://fstoppers.com/originals/easy-fix-nik-collections-recent-crash-issues-206843

[TMPhoto]

Great, thanks - very simple change - works fine in 2020 for me now even with the setting on to apply changes to separate layer. 

[photografiero]

It works if you change the settings - After clicking OK ... apply the filtered effect to the current layer (default is on a separate layer) 🙂

[adriany92155948]

If you have the installer for the Google Nik version (1.2.11), run it. It doesn't automatically detect Photoshop, but you can add Photoshop during the setup.  On the Compatible Host Applications step, click on the "+" (plus) button in the lower left.  Navigate to the Photoshop Plug-ins folder (C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2021\Plug-ins for Version 2021 on Windows 10). 

This process also worked for Photoshop version 2020.  

[Erika_H]

I wish I could send you some flowers and chocs. After days of desperately trying to set my new pc up for my routine, this finally solved it. I cannot thank you enough.

[Domenick5D28]

Adrian.  Have you tried Silver Efexs Pro2 with PS 2021?  It opens fine but if you apply a levels layer or curves layer to the Silver Efexs Pro layer, the Navigator panel shows changes but the image window no longer responds to changes.  Including clicking the eye ball off and on etc. 

[photografiero]

It works if you change the settings - "After clicking OK" ... Choose "Apply the filtered effect to the current layer" (default is on a separate layer) 

[Domenick5D28]

That's how I have it set. Silver Efex works in 2020 but not 2021. Did you
try my scenario in 2021?

[photografiero]

Strange ... 2021 works in the default way ... 2020 didnt ... so a workaround I found was to hit CTRL ALT F just after the filter "did nothing" and ... the second try was OK 🙂

[Domenick5D28]

Thanks. Will give that a try.