Photoshop auto-align remains greyed out, Bridge won't help unles I upgrade Pshop but I already did!

[Marly5E9A]

Today has been a total nightmare attempting to use Auto-Align layers, the primary tool I pay for in my Photoshop subscription. When will this start to consistently work???

1) Bridge would not allow a Photoshop alignment of 2 photos until I "upgraded" Photoshop.

2) I upgraded Photoshop to 24.2.0 and Bridge still said I had to upgrade for Bridge to work.

3) I upgraded Bridge as well, and then I rebooted.

4) Attached a screenshot of the Bridge error. Now I know why this is an error. I had the 2022 Bridge open. When I opened 2023 Bridge voila, the ability to photomerge into Photoshop NO LONGER EXISTS. I guess this is because Photoshop has "auto-align" in it now, but IT NEVER WORKS.

This sucks! Nothing I do matters. I've spent HOURS trying to fix this because I want to auto-align. Why is it so hard????? This is the main reason I pay for Photoshop and now it never works  for me? H ELP.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi @Marly5E9A moving past the Bridge error which you have seemed to resolve...

What happens when you select two layers and run Auto-Align?

Do you get an error message or ?

[Marly5E9A]

Hi Kevin, sorry for the late response, I was out of the country.

When I select 2 layers and try to run auto-align that option is greyed out.
No error message, just not able to do the action. And the 2 pictures are
very similar, 2 pics I took on iPhone that are the same with just a little
extra on one side or the other I'd like to combine. Bridge used to be how I
did it, but that functionality is gone so doing in Photoshop is the only
option.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi @Marly5E9A is one of the layers locked?

[Marly5E9A]

Hi kevin, that's a great suggestion so I tried it. Screenshot attached
showing the 2 unlccked layers, yet it's still greyed out...
p.s. I really appreciate your help on this 🙂 Any other ideas?


[image: Screenshot 2023-03-13 at 7.29.17 PM.png]

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi @Marly5E9A your screenshot did not come through.

[Marly5E9A]

@Kevin Stohlmeyer This is what I see every time I try...

[D Fosse · Accepted solution]

One of your layers is a smart object. Rasterize it, and it'll work.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer · Accepted solution]

Hi @Marly5E9A you can't auto align with a smart object layer. 

[Marly5E9A]

@Kevin Stohlmeyer & @D Fosse   Thank you so much, it worked! Appreciate your patience and assistance with this.