Photoshop 2025 gradients keep duplicating

[Jovial_JourneyB831]

Hi, I have been a Photoshop user for years and haven't had this problem before. When I use the gradient fill, it duplicates the preset. For example, I use foreground-to-transparent a lot, and if I use it ten times, I end up with eleven foreground-to-transparent presets in the menu. This only started with the last update, 26.1.0. Any help would be welcome. Thanks.

[Jeff Arola]

Are you using the Gradient Tool or a Gradient Fill Adjustment Layer?

I would try a Photoshop preferences reset:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html

[JDob]

This happens to me also with both gradient fill and gradient map adjustment layers. I'm using PS 26.2 in Windows. Resetting my Preferences made no difference.

[JDob]

Ignore this, Resetting does seem to have helped.

[RSPA904]

I am having the same issue and restting my prefrences doesn't help at all. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please read this (in particular the section titled "Supply pertinent information for more timely and effective answers”):
https://community.adobe.com/t5/using-the-community/community-how-to-guide-tips-amp-best-practices/td...

Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

[Jovial_JourneyB831]

To RSPA904 et al. I have found if I select a gradient (map or fill) and do not select OK!! Just click outside the selection box and edit the gradient as you would normally do. The gradient preset should not duplicate.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible to illustrate what you are talking about? 

Are you possibly talking about the Recents? 

[Lush312746253084]

Having the same problem. Using gradient maps. Preferences reset didn't help. In the gradient editor when I click on a gradient preset it automatically duplicates it every time I confirm. The screenshot shows how there are now repeats of every gradient preset I've used.

[Trevor.Dennis]

I've been trying to duplicate this in the 26.2 release and 26.3 m.2915 beta without success. 

Can you describe the workflow that results in the duplicates? 

Thanks

[ricardh76467822]

ps 26.2

when editing a gardient map using gradient editor the "ok" button do the same as the "new" button. if I try to kepp the "name" window empty i get an error. The result is a lot of custom gradients. what to do ++

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post more meaningful screenshots, I cannot discern any new Gradients being added. 

It seems I cannot reproduce the issue on Photoshop 26.2.0

[feinschmecker]

I'm having the exact same problem - since the update to 2025. 

It happens when I create a "Gradient Map" adjustment layer (not a gradient fill layer). When I select a predefines gradient it makes a duplicate version with the same name - and if i make any adjustments it creates a new "Custom" gradient. 

I use gradient map adjustment layer a lot.

It's really, really annoying.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please post meaningful screenshots. 

Which exact Photoshop version are you using? 

[feinschmecker]

Sure thing. Here you go.

Screenshot 1: I made a simple cloud layer

Screenshot 2: I made a Gradient Map Adjustment Layer

Screenshot 3: I selected the TEST GRADIENT from the adjustment layer  (see list on the right)

Screenshot 4: Clicked OK - Gradient swatch is duplicated... Had I made any changes to the gradient, it would have been called "Custom".

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Thanks. 

I can reproduce the issue now. 

[Howard_7734]

Having same issue. I modify a gradient and it creates a new custom gradient. Also, sometimes dupes a gradient in my presets. I can dump out but quite annoying

[N.H.B.]

I had the same problem that was driving me crazy. Resetting the presets didn't help, so I switched back to PS 2024.

[Okan5CA7]

There are a lot of things that drives us crazy with Adobe's engineers. 

Same problem here. I was post it yesterday.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/gradient-overlay-panel-saving-same-preset-ov...

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Well … or rather not well, but still … 8 votes in more than two month (on this bug report https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/p-win-ps-v26-1-classic-gradient-editor-creat...) seems to indicate that the problem does not affect that many Photoshop users. 

Many probably just don’t use gradient presets that often. 

So depending on how strongly this affects affects your work you might want to consider rolling back Photoshop as it is impossible to say what priority this bug will receive and how laborious the fix will be. 

[feinschmecker]

Number of votes doesn't equal the number of prople with the issue - unless the number of photoshop users world wide equals the number of users here. I use it a lot and it drives me nuts that they duplicate. Especially since it hasn't always done so. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Number of votes doesn't equal the number of prople with the issue - unless the number of photoshop users world wide equals the number of users here. I use it a lot and it drives me nuts that they duplicate. Especially since it hasn't always done so. 

By feinschmecker

Of course the number of votes is not equal to the affected users but I suspect a »rough« proportionality is inferred by the Photoshop team. 

So when a Bug Report like 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/p-photoshop-26-2-adjustment-layers-grayed-ou...

has more than twice as many votes in a comparable timeframe I expect that indicates some »relative annoyance-level among Photoshop users«. 

[feinschmecker]

Agree. The gradient problem is, however, very specific - not general. Unlike the "all adjustment layers are greyed out". Thats a game breaking bug. The gradient one is just super annoying in comparison 🙂

[Okan5CA7]

Excuse me, my English is not very good. In your previous comment, did you mean to say “people are not complaining too much, so this bug can stay like this”? I hope you're not.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Excuse me, my English is not very good. In your previous comment, did you mean to say “people are not complaining too much, so this bug can stay like this”? I hope you're not.

By Okan5CA7

I did not say that it’s fine for the bug to go unfixed, I just wanted to encourage you not to expect a speedy fix and proceed accordingly. 

But it matters little what I say in this regard anyway, as I am just another Photoshop user. 

There have been bugs in Adobe applications that have gone unfixed for years (more than a decade even in the case of Illustrator), so it seems best to me to, if at all possible, work around them and try to keep calm …