P: Program error while opening or creating new document after Photoshop 22.1 update [2020]

[Ramón Tecólt]

Since yesterday's update, can´t even open a jpg file. Always says: Could not complete your request because of a program error. I need to work.

{Moderator Note: Edited the thread title, PS-52603}

[dermotmoconnor]

Quick & dirty (with no guarantee of success): some software (free) may (stress may) be able to open some psd files - depends on how complex. I'm currently playing with Krita, really nice app, but a bit different the way it handles masks. https://krita.org/en/

Corel painter is more expensive, been watching tuts all day (lynda/linkedin learning has some courses, and some good ones on YT too). Painter 2021 has just come out, and as far as I can tell it doesn't crash when you try to open jpegs or psd files - think about that: adobe's competitors right now are opening psd files when PS cannot. $199, with free trial:

https://www.painterartist.com/en/pages/ppc/painter

GIMP (free) I've always hated, but in a pinch, beggars / choosers.

https://www.gimp.org

Affinity photo might also be worth playing with ($50 to buy, but with a free trial):

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/39752-importing-psds-into-affinity/

often these non-PS apps will rasterize things they can't understand, Krita can bring in clipping masks but doesn't handle layer masks sadly); but maybe one of those 3 might be of help. More help than adobe's godawful engineers ("Have you tried switching it off and switching it on again"?); ("What OS are you using?"); ("Have you tried deleting your pref files?") and on and on and on, maniacs who think doing the same thing will produce different results. 

[Guest]

I use Affinity Photo extensively, and it is excellent with PSD's, and the layers in PSD's. Give it a try, free. 

[imagesbysimon]

Go to the Creative Cloud updates and click on the 3 dots next to the latest
version of Photoshop hopefully you find an earlier version and then load
that. Before you do this uninstall the new version first.

[default2a7pcqa5ak54]

I have the same problem. It is crashing every time or it takes forever to do something. Really don't understand it, tried everything. At first it said that my memory was full, so changed that and now im working with a 4terabyte memory, but still it's working really bad.  Nothing is like it should be. 

[5C2A]

upon prompting, i installed a software update yesterday. the update notes state that the software bugs will be resolved with the latest update. disappointingly, it is untrue...while i am able to open up PSD files, an error message will still pop up whenever i load the Hand tool. what a let down...

[dermotmoconnor]

SC2A, at least is shows *some* movement. I don't see any upgrade suggestions, wonder if they're targeting a smaller number of users as trials? What a mess.

[timothyhuber13]

Hey all, I'm new to Photoshop and the Creative Cloud ecosystem as a whole. I've recently installed Photoshop, and when I attempt to make a new project: (through File>New) and I get an error: it says:

> "Could not complete your request due to a program error."

I'm not sure what it means, and I could use a hand solving it.

[nikunj.m]

Hi,

We're sorry about the trouble with Photoshop due to the program error.

Please try the steps suggested here: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/known-issues.html#ProgramErroropeningfiles

Let us know how it goes!

Regards,

Nikunj

[JuliaPowers]

Today I received a message about the renewal of my subscription plan for a year, and was very disappointed that the price was raised, and the update was so unsuccessful that it is impossible to work. Even returning to a later version was problematic, which causes some inconvenience in the work.
Could you stop the price increase until all the problems in the update are fixed?

[Swailes]

Additional problem with the workaround (on Win10, older graphics card with < 2 GB of VRAM): trying to uncheck "use GPU acceleration" itself does not work because the setting is not saved properly (photoshop throws the same error message above on attempted exit so must be force-closed with task manager; on next program open the box is checked on again). Manually deleted settings from Explorer and didn't work either, regenerated on next open.

What ended up working for me: had a friend with a newer graphics card and working version of Photoshop 2021 uncheck the GPU acceleration box in his own preferences, save and close. Then manually copied his "C/users/[user]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop 2021" folder to my own computer and re-opened. Now the GPU acceleration is unchecked and my Photoshop works perfectly. In case anyone is running into the same problem with the workaround steps.

[gener7]

Never thought of that. Glad it worked out. I'll use my earlier version until the problems are fixed.

[Swailes]

Admittedly that would be the much simpler solution; at a certain point I was just invested in the idea of trying out some of the new features 🙂

[Glenn15C2]

I fixed this finally... I bought a new cutting-edge (expensive) graphics card and it still did not work, so I took the advice of a friend and bought a cheap graphics card 1050ti 4gb ($160 Amazon) and then Photoshop worked just fine... so just pay a fortune for this program and then drop hundreds of dollars more and you might get something that works. Good luck everyone. I know this solution isn't ideal for everyone. Adobe is a sloppy company but I like Photoshop even if Adobe can't manage itself very well. I hope you all find some kind of solution. 

[Swailes]

Out of curiousity, what was the graphics card that didn't work? Thinking of buying a new PC myself so that might push me one way or another with GPU choice. Thanks

[defaultwtwbr5z544te]

The real question is why the upgrade did not identify (and notify the user) of the incompatable hardware issue before installing? Totally the fault of Adobe.

[JamNJen]

I agree... failure of the upgrade software to verify compatibility before attempting to install. The update automatically tried to install the new software on my computer with incompatible system software (mac OS10.13.6, which caused the same failure... inability to open a document at all). I had to completely uninstall PS vers. 21.2.4 and re-install it. Lost all my preferences in the process.

[nickl57516707]

100% this.

This rollout is worse than the Mac/Catalina/64-bit debacle, because even though it destroyed all 32-bit apps on the platform, people were told about it before they installed.

Looks like along with selecting all possible 'Legacy' options when CC apps get installed, now I have to go into all my machines and DE-SELECT "Update Automatically," because every single update lately has created more and more workflow issues with little to no rational benefit.

This was a bad update for a lot of users, Adobe. It may have come from a good place, but the release was massively flawed.

Any Google search for 'Photoshop 2021' at the moment recommends 'Photoshop 2021 Program Error' as the top result, directly above 'Photoshop 2021'

[GeorginaRJ]

Oh great.... I followed the advice to untick 'use graphics processor' and that seemed to work, but looks as if I need to do that every time I open Photoshop....have update graphics card driver, no improvement.  Is there any update on this???

[F. Michael98A1]

I ma new to this community and new to Photoshop, but I thank the person who offered the temporary fix consisting of Ctrl-K, then clicking on Perfrmance Tab, then unchecking "Use Graphics Processor", then "OK", and "voila" . . . my program is working fine.  I can retrieve jpg photos for editing (I am primarily a cartoonist).

Of course, becasue I am a tyro (novice) to this program, I cannot vouch for whether this fix will enable usage of higher-end features where the GPU's assistance is a necessity, but for now at least I am "IN" the program again.

Still waiting (with some trepidation though) for Adobe to "push" it's new and "fixed" version into my desktop.

I am thinking about starting a substance abuse problem. . . . but I understand the rehab process can be difficult. . . so I guess I'll just "tough it out" ☺

Thanks

[gener7]

You can install and use 21.2.4 it should allow the use of the GPU. As shiny as anything ending in 0.0 is, it's going to have problems, but drop back to an earlier version and you might have the functions the GPU offers. (depends on your PC) What are they? This screenshot explains.

[Claretta]

Oggi ho sinoto il processore grafico nelle impostazioni di photoshop ed ora funziona bene, apre i file e si chiude correttamente ma non c! ora ho un altro problema anche se i programmi sono stati installati da pochi giorni: lightroom non apre i file in photoshop la risposta è: Uno o più plug-in non sono attualmente disponibili nel sistema. Per , > >

Perché è così difficile scrivere qui, cambia le parole venire gli pare?

[Laura5E38]

My Photoshop program is doing this too. It won't even let me exit the program it keeps saying "system error". 

[parl25349865]

When I dissabels the graphic card I still cant close Photoshop without getting the error?? So when I force a shutdown of Photoshop it doesnt registrer that I disabled the graphic cards so when I reopen Photoshop the graphiccard is still enabled. Kinda grondhogday....

[William5C6E]

I'm not the only one.... there is a big issue the past two days as a pop up would note "could not complete your request because of a Program Error" I cant even close PS with main exit tab, as the pop up will not allow a proper exit from program. It requuires that shut down my PC.. Is there another fix? as the new download is when this started. HEP!!!! i need to finish some big jobs.. HELP!

WSM

[Moved from Using the Community (which is about the forums) to a better forum... Mod]
[To find a forum for your program please start at https://community.adobe.com/]

[Akash Sharma]

Hi there,

Sorry that you're getting a program error while using Photoshop 2021 on your computer.

This is a known issue with Photoshop version 22.0 and our engineers are working towards a fix. In the meanwhile, would you mind checking the workaround mentioned in this article https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/known-issues.html#ProgramErroropeningfiles and let us know if that helps?

Thanks, 

Akash