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}

[george_wamser]

Same problem, program error on save, then turn all layers off and the 1.56GB layered file would save. I changed photoshop's setting to allow it to use 75% of my ram and then one save worked (after quitting & relaunching PS). Then same thing. My next check was scratch disk(s). I have a separate large external HD for TimeMaching backups, and for some reason PS changed to that as its primary scratch disk. I disabled it, and chose internal drive as #1 and externals (jobs) as #2 for scratch and voila, now photoshop is working correctly again.

[phildeface3000]

Reverting to a previous version of Photoshop (21.2.4) is the only viable solution. Not good at all.

Adobe needs to address this and its related problems as a priority. It is not good to see them boasting across the top of the forum that v22 is great and supposedly fixes lots of other problems - yet it renders the software unusable.

[LoLoYo]

Having the same issue 😞

[Gillian5C39]

Also having "program error" issues, especially when working with layers (Windows 10):

Sometimes I can't even open a file due to "program error."

Cannot save a layered file unless all layers are hidden. Sometimes layers can then be revealed, sometimes I have to close file and even Photoshop, reopen and reveal layers to continue work.

Layered file can't be flattened. Each layer has to be merged with the next until flatness achieved, but must be saved often through this process, because "save" can quit working at any stage.

Cannot copy and paste from one layered file to another, although splitting the screen and dragging layer from one file to the other works.

At any time the "program error" may come up, in which case I have to save what I can, exit Photoshop, and restart.

Have lost work and time due to constant "program errors." I think all this has just started with the newest release--last couple of weeks.

[jeanders21]

Another person with the same issue checking in. Very frustrating!

[johnsoby]

Yes, me too. Newest Photoshop from Creative Cloud (22.1.0) -- Windows PC.
Cannot do anything to any picture without the error.

[Dean_Utian]

Hi all,

Sorry to hear so many people experiencing this issue. It is being discussed with Adobe staff in the link below: 

https://feedback.photoshop.com/conversations/photoshop/photoshop-cant-save-file-due-to-program-error...

Here is what an Adobe Administrator (Jeffrey Tranberry) posted:

"

Sorry you're having trouble. The program errors seen in 22.1 have been difficult to reproduce and track down. Please know that  our entire engineering department is focused on these program errors. We’d like to create a special build that we can send to users to get additional information. Would you be willing to help us by testing this build and providing us additional logging that's generated? Please add a comment if you're interested and I'll have the team send out an invite.

If you are not interested in trying out the above prerelease build:

For current workarounds see Program error when saving files

If that doesn't solve your problem, roll back to the previous version of Photoshop.

See Revert to the previous Photoshop version
"

[johnsoby]

Just confirming -- rolling back to 22.0.1 was the only solution that worked for me. But now it saves like a charm.

[TomAndrewBell]

I decided to go back to the previous version. Now everything works fine. It does put me off updates to be fair. Good to hear you are working it out though. Please keep us updated when a solid fix is found and I will be happy then to update once again.

Cheers, Tom

[Ilona5C40]

ok. I can't save file. Then when I move one of the layers it's save, move back-not safe. Maybe this will help to fix it

[its-dmor]

Has this been fixed yet? I'm still having the same problem, and now I'm behind weeks for my job. This is ridiculous.

[lucyrushton]

The only 'fix' I have found is to revert back to an older version of Photoshop (you can see how to do that in one of my other replies in this thread). It's not ideal but allows me to use Photoshop like normal.

[its-dmor]

Thank you for the advice! What version would advise?

[lucyrushton]

I'm currently on 22.0.1 purely because it was the version before everything stopped working. Hope it works for you!

[its-dmor]

Thank you so much!

[TomAndrewBell]

As Lucyrushton says. Revert back to the previous version. It's the only fix that worked for me as well. Don't waste your time getting stressed out tryiong to fix the new version its not worth it.

[Randy Hufford]

I always keep a workstation with a older known working version of photoshop. I make a living doing this so i have to always have a backup. I keep one machine with newest upgrade and a second machine with a older known working version. I also do this with my OS. my current version os is macOS Mojave and PS 2019.

[boyo77]

Great idea but I can't find PS 2019 on the Adobe Cloud. I have to admit the new update has got some issues even with new hardware.

[agnerrl]

Im also running into this issue. Im using Windows. This is incredibly annoying. 

[mscheu]

I'm having the same issue with the newest update of Photoshop (22.1) and have lost a ton of time over the past two weeks trying to work around and fix the issue. Hiding all layers other than background as previously described here allowed me to save progress on my work, which worked okay until I tried to Export the file (I tried several ways) or create a copy using Save As. Any way that I tried, this resulted in the same "unknown error" message. This morning, I reverted back to version 22.0.1 and turned off automatic updates to Photoshop, and that has seemed to fix the issue so far. This is incredibly annoying for such an expensive service, considering not being able to save consitutes a pretty catastrophic failure of the program. 

[Daytripper1805]

Same issue. Tried the troubleshooting Adobe recommended. Nothings works to stabalize except turning off layers before saving. The upgrade has been nothing but a joke, garbage. Can't believe I'm paying for this...smh...

[ChelseaSS1991]

This is still not fixed. You are illegally charging people for Photoshop while the program is not working and it is not allowing me to do my job. Fix this soon or lawyers will be contacted if this continues to jeopardize my job and not be addressed. Contact me.

[Earth Oliver]

doing a prefs delete might be useful here. Sometimes bug fixes like this won't take without starting over. It's never fun to have to do it, but often you don't have a choice. 
Go into Prefs>Reset on Quit, then restart Ps.

[Downdijk]

Problem still exists after the update and its that bad i cant use the program at all.
So im very glad i still have PS 2020 on my PC and use for the time being that one

[DianaBlue]

This may sound like rambling to you, but for me, it is struggling to form the right question.

I have so many problems with Adobe Photoshop 2021 (I don't know what update I have, but I did update last week.) Is this usual? Does it go hand in hand with "renting" Photoshop? Are you not finished with it yet? These are sincere questions. I began using Photoshop with Photoshop #3. I illustrated a book with it! I have updated Photoshop all along. The last Photoshop from a disk I used was Photoshop CC. (Or  whatever the last version on CD was.) and there was never a problem or at least never a problem that was bad enough to remember.
But I've had constant problems with Photoshop since it became only a downloaded item. I have to know if this is somehow my fault, or is everyone together on these problems?
So here is my question, and maybe I should ask the forum. Do I delete the version of Photoshop that I have currently before I download Photoshop 2021.1.1 or are the corrections to the program just added on? I thought I downloaded the latest version, but the problem was still a there-the problem with the program problem interfering with opening a new file even though I have just opened Photoshop.
I would really like a reply to the question about the continuous problems I have are normal that everyone has, or is it just me?
Thank you for reading my note, and answering it if you can. Just a short note will do.
Sincerely,