Photoshop 2020 Blank work-space issue: Black Screen

[shananc3]

I can't seem to open any files or start any new docs in the new update, I had no issues with the previous version and now that I updated I have this plain black screen regardless of what I do? How do I get my art board and images back?

{Thread renamed by moderator}

[tims93619795]

This corrected that issue for me.  I was setting up a new MacBook with Catalina and was getting frustrated that problems would arise after finally moving on from an older (and now slower) MacBook. Thank you for posting!

[terrenceh95853496]

This is the solution that worked for me too.
Thanks!

[jessical93554840]

The other solutions in this thread didn't work for me, but this one did! Thank you!!

[zo21511446]

Go to Preferences and reset your Interface Color Theme to clear or white, whatever is the last one on the right.

[useridchallenged]

This worked for me - MacBook Pro 2015 running High Sierra (10.13.6) with 16MB RAM and Intel Iris Graphics 6100 GPU.  I was using Photoshop CC 2018 prior to upgrading to Photoshop 2020 (Feb release).

Also, after clicking the lightest theme, I was able to go back to a darker theme and everything remained visible.  Best part is that the I was able to retain the GPU acceleration (including advanced).

A note to Adobe engineering - this seems like a first-time initialization problem after a new installation or upgrade from CC 2018 (don't know about 2019 - I skipped this release) to 2020.  This is a poor "first impression" experience of a new version - suggest figuring this one out soon if you want users to migrate to 2020.

[Mindsphere]

Seconding this as a solution. On a brand new 16" Macbook Pro running Catalina 10.15.2. Was able to revert to original theme and all worked.

[J453]

Are you saying toggling between these appearance options fixed it for you?

[tiaa1263272]

yes! it works for me. i use dark mode and i change it to auto, i tried opening it and it work normally. i tried closing the program and change it back to dark mode and it still work.

[MyscreennameisME]

This did NOT work for me. 

[joshuaOneNine]

I'm having the same problem. It usually occures when I open a second file or project and then go back to the original I opened. I then have to try to save my progress and shut down PS then reopen it.

[J453 · Accepted solution]

If the document window is blank - see https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/troubleshoot-gpu-graphics-card.html

If the Home Screem is blank - See https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/troubleshoot-home-screen-issues.html

[Nitotoni]

None of the above really helps in my case - I have tried all the suggestins including resetting the PS preferences.

Only disabling the GPU entirely seems to help, howover that is not a solution seen that everything slowes down considerabley.

Running PS 21.2.0 on a 16" Macbook Pro with a AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 4 GB.

edit: just installed 21.1.3 and not problems there at all ¯\(°_o)/¯

[sleumas]

It worked. Thank you!

[different_epicness5E09]

How I fixed mine on on a 13" Retina Macbook Pro from 2015:

I just had to enable OpenCL in the advanced section of the Performance panel of the settings.

[annievovan]

disregard-- i figured it out using pressing down on shift,option and command as soon as I launched PS and it worked per the video tutorial

[annievovan]

solved - sorry i can't delete this

[A.Britt]

When I turned off the graphics processor, I could no longer use Liquify. Is there another solution to the black screen? 

[juangomezwaof]

After dealing with this for a few weeks and trying lots of combinations between turning off graphic proccesor, Legacy compositing, etc; I found that (it's been only 20 minutes only so far) turning off the "Use native operating system GPU Acceleration" in the advanced settings from Graphic Processor, doesn't get me to a gray screen when switching apps. Give it a try.

[juangomezwaof]

Abort!! as soon as I used text this was gone!

[peaceprop]

Thanks for the update. Lol, yeah I know, I believe I did something simliar and I thought it was fixed but as soon as I used text, all h*ll broke loose again.

For now, I've been forced to revert back to PS 2019. Unfortunatley, for some reason I'm now unable to Save for Web out of 2019 after installing 2020.

Adobe has really damaged my ability to work and run my business with this latest update. Not everyone can just blow $2k–$8k on a new machine every time Adobe wants to update/add minor features. The core of the application doesn't even work anymore.

At this point, no clue how long it will be before I can even use the software we pay a hefty monthly subscription for.

[peaceprop]

We've tried everything. I just uninstalled this bloated trash heap of an application. There are THOUSANDS of people complaining about this—here, Twitter, Reddit et al. What a giant piece of buggy garbage this release is. We will go back to using an older, stabler...dare I say "tested" "debugged" "professional" version of Photoshop but of course will be expected to diligently pay Adobe the same hefty monthly fee for this huge hassle.

[klayon]

I tried every proposed solution listed here and none of them worked, so I uninstalled the current version and installed an older version (21.1.3). Now I can finally see my files again while toggling between applications.  Pity that I have to stop using the newest version of Photoshop just to enable the most basic function there is -- viewing a file.

[Nitotoni]

Exactly the same here - I cannot believe that Adobe has relesead a buggy piece of sotfware like that, and after all the people complaining about the issue, there has still not been a real solution.

Unbelivable.

[Stitz_Norma]

Same here.  Tried everything, spent 2 hrs chatting with Adobe (who also couldn't fix it)

[juangomezwaof]

Apparently with the new release, everything seems fixed; hope yours got fixed too. Will report back if anything goes hell again.