Photoshop CC 2018 Brush lag

[łukaszb62956031]

Hi,

I updated PS yesterday and everytjing was fine, but today suddenly I got big brush lags. With smoothing on or off, no difference.

Lag gets even worse while zooming above 50%.

I've restarted preferences and PC and nothing happens.

I'm losing half a day trying to figure it out and its really nervous situation. Any ideas how to fix it?

Windows 7, 16 GB RAM, GTX 970, Intel i5 4570

[andrewu16541043]

It doesn't help the lag for every tool. I get lag/freeze of the cursor not only with the brush tool, but the selector and pretty much every tool, if I'm zoomed in. I'm updated, cleared cache, cleared preferences...still does it.

Adobe keeps cramming more stuff into photoshop and it keeps having problems. Been using Photoshop since 1991, some great stuff has been aded of course, but a lot of it is bells and whistle that 99% of the time, people don't need. Stop adding stuff and clean it up so it doesn't bog down.

[Spectroplasm]

I hope they surprise us with a Christmas present in the form of a bug fix. That would ease the pill of staying late because of slowdowns. Then again, knock on wood.

[Adam Jerugim]

Out of curiosity and because it nows sounds like it might be a multiple monitor issue, can anyone who has verified this as a problem which is resolved by working on a single display please verify all displays are connected to the same video card, or is it a combination of video card and motherboard?

I can't promise a fix before Christmas but if you can help me diagnose this, it would help to get it resolved asap. Thanks.

[Spectroplasm]

Thank you for the response Adam.

My triple monitor config is as follows:

PC2:

Ryzen 1700x

16gb RAM

GTX 1080

triple monitor setup pushing 5760 x 1080

windows 10 pro version 1709 build 17063.1000 (Windows Updated since my last post)

the triple ,monitors are hooked to a single GTX 1080 (2x DP + 1x DVI). Main monitor is hooked to the first Display port on the graphics card, secondary is on the second Display port, and third is on the DVI port.

I have tried disabling them one by one to figure out if it was a display port or a dvi problem.

scenario 1:

triple display mode (extended). Brush lag is present even with smoothing set to zero or preferences deleted.

triple display mode (nvidia surround). Brush lag is present even with smoothing set to zero or preferences deleted.

scenario 2:

1- dual display mode monitor 1&2 activated: Brush lag is present even with smoothing set to zero or preferences deleted.

2- dual display mode monitor 2&3 activated: Brush lag is present even with smoothing set to zero or preferences deleted.

3- dual display mode monitor 1&3 activated: Brush lag is present even with smoothing set to zero or preferences deleted.

switching between the monitors does not help.

scenario 3:

- single monitor mode monitor 1 activated: brush lag is gone, everything is fast and clean, even with brush smoothing turned on or off.

- single monitor mode monitor 2 activated: brush lag is gone, everything is fast and clean, even with brush smoothing turned on or off.

- single monitor mode monitor 3 activated: brush lag is gone, everything is fast and clean, even with brush smoothing turned on or off.

I'm beginning to think that this error has something to do with the way the new Photoshop CC 2018 handles display or window modes. I've completely deactivated my extra monitors when I use Photoshop but it's tiresome in the end to activate and deactivate monitors just to use a program.

* It is important to note that Brush smoothing is not compatible with Nik Collection plugin installed, it will grind to a halt. impossible to navigate Nik's menus as it will literally hiccup & stutter. turning off brush smoothing or uninstalling Nik Collection will resolve this problem.So that's something to note for those who have this plugin installed.

** reverting to older version display drivers or installing beta display drivers will not resolve the problem, that can be safely ruled out of the problem list.

*** using Creative Cloud Cleaner tool to wipe CC off the computer and re-installing does not help either.

[solomonbaksh]

Hi Spectroplasm,

I am really sorry to hear that you are not able to resolve the brush lag.

I had the same problem with my with my iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015), 4 GHz Intel Core i7  with 48 GB 1867 MHz DDR3 and  AMD Radeon R9 M395 2048 MB.

After a frustrating week and having read almost everything online, including this thread, and trying them, nothing worked.

As a last resort, I decided to call Adobe Tech Support. After waiting for almost 30 minutes for someone to take my call, one of the tech resolved the issue in less than 5 minutes. I know this techniques does not work for many people on this discussion but it worked for me instantly. The tech had me set smoothing to 0% and restart. That totally resolved the Paint Brush and Healing Brush lag issue.

I am using Adobe Photoshop CC 2018 version 19.0 and I am also using Nik Collection without problems.

While my story may not help many, it did resolve my issue.

Spectroplasm, I know how frustrating this problem is. I hope you find a solution soon. If you do, please let the others know.

Solomon

[Spectroplasm]

Thank you very much Solomon,

The temporary solution that works for me is to disable the extra monitors and work with only one.

I'm certain it's a display issue since my other PC which only has a single monitor does not have any problems with the lag at all.

[tammyk64522304]

i only have one monitor on an older system and at my wit's end to fix this.  working on large, large files that normally give me no issues but tried to work on a file today (that was a rush of course) and it lagged to the point that i simply couldn't get it to do anything.  i've tried literally everything in the help suggestions for speeding up photoshop, save for getting a new video card as i can't do that instantly.  i've double checked that my hard disks are good togo (and they are).  i have PLENTY of RAM, SSD space, for scratch disks, processing power, etc.  in fact, i had 'efficiency' on and it was at 100% even as it was lagging to the point it was literally taking a minute per stroke.  i had just upgraded from 2017 to 2018 the other day.  was ok in 2017 before, but now i'm having the same issue in both versions.  so i uninstalled both of them and reinstalled 2017, and it's still doing it.  turned off smoothing, etc - basically all of the tips in this thread, and a couple others.  very frustrated, and it's making me look terrible to my clients. 

[Jacoby Alley]

I’ve been using Krita. Not as advanced as APS but it does the job with no lag. Adobe owes us money.

[shiftBKperspectives]

I feel your pain! I thought that the 19.1 version helped me, but once I start working on a few big files (either one at a time or 2-3 at once), PS CC 2018 totally slows down and I can barely work. It seems like it works okay for me for a little while...then it seems like a memory leak to me. But who the hell knows. I have reset the preferences and will try that for a bit...the only thing that helped me the most so far is turning off the graphics processor in Preferences>Performance. Not a ideal solution, but I could work.

Are you on a Mac running Sierra OS? (v 10.12.x) By any chance?

I found my old PS CS v6 works so much better...why am I paying the obscene amount of $50 a month? I am not sure anymore.

[tammyk64522304]

i did turn off the graphics processor out of desperation and was able to mostly work late last night, experimenting with the same 9GB file.  been doing a lot of testing today and it looks like that might work for me for a bit, as i don't use most of the things that need the openCL (actually, i just looked and it isn't an option to turn on with my current card).  it did kind of hang up and lag a time or 2 but went back to ok fairly quickly.  (which it definitely wasn't doing yesterday, or i'd have blustered my way through).

unfortunately, my client's understandably pissed and pulled that job and the remainder of the job is on the line, provided i can prove i can work on the rest without 'technical difficulties'.  i totally get it - they aren't being unreasonable.  how to do that?  seriously considering getting a better graphics card but my system is soooo old, it's a risk as they are all refurbs now.  only one of the 4 is 'officially supported' by adobe now, and so that's the one i'm considering.  i'd just replaced my card a year or 2 back.  >(

i'm a retoucher and if i thought i could get away with using ps6, i would, but i need some of the features in the newer versions, unfortunately, both for me and certain clients.  plus the latest outright purchase i had was 5, not 6.  😕

i'm on a mac, but on el capitan.  my IT guy is always very leery of upgrading systems quickly.  i had to upgrade recently to run something else, but had been on yosemite til just a few weeks ago. 

first time this happened to me i was still on yosemite running 2017.  i thought then that my turning off my antivirus was the key (and it did work til yesterday).  i'm strongly suspecting it's anything that causes some part of the processing power to slow way down, and it just hits the brush/healing/stamp functions first... though even when it's acting up on mine the efficiency is showing in the high 90's if not 100%, so whatever it is isn't reflected in that.  i don't know... i'm not a technical person, just making guesses based on what i've read and experienced.  it's hella frustrating, whatever it is. 

[Jacoby Alley]

Try Krita - it's an open source similar to Photoshop. It might not have all the features you need but it could help you get the job done until Adobe decides to stop testing new builds on its paying clientele.

[shiftBKperspectives]

I am so sorry you are loosing work over this!! Sooo insanely frustrating!

If turning off graphics processor works for now...at least you can get the job done.

Another idea...PS CC allows you to install back dated versions, like CC 2014 and 2015...I don't know if those have the tools you need but maybe worth trying.

I wonder if having High Sierra would help, but I haven't received a definitive answer from anyone...I haven't heard anything good about High Sierra, so I don't want to install it. My laptop has a 3rd party drive that is not compatible with High Sierra yet anyway.

I agree with you about tools with processing power, though my PS slows down so much even zooming in and out of an image is painfully slow, or showing and hiding a layer takes forever!

What kills me is...we use all of this for a living so we are losing money on so many levels. Jacoby has a good point about us being the guinea pigs. I might look at Krita like he suggests...I also bought Affinity Photo, it is very affordable, one time purchase and seems to have some good features. I just don't have time to experiment with other programs either!

[tammyk64522304]

based on what i was telling him my IT guy concurs that it's in part a graphics card going bad.  so i'm scrambling to replace that now.  hoping that will mostly fix my issues.  praying that my card will hang on until i can get the new one. 

i will check into Krita, thanks!  any competition is a good thing. 

Jacoby, if you're building something, good on you!  make sure it can do most of the things we've gotten accustomed to and can run the plug ins and operate with psds and psbs and you've got a customer!

[Jacoby Alley]

Tammy, I won't try to make a profit off my own fellow creatives, but I sure will help everyone get their work done for clients! I had a project in December that should have taken me five days but because PS was tanking left and right, it took me almost a month. Thank God I had an understanding client! Krita was a little clumsy because of the new learning curve but it saved the day. Right now I am experimenting with Krita, GIMP, and InkScape to see if I can use them in the same workflow I have counted on from Adobe all this time. For coding I use Eclipse, NotePad++, GitHub, FileZilla... interested in hearing about anything else that anyone else might know about! Maybe if Adobe realizes they're not the only dog in the hunt they'll get back to producing the fantastic products we flocked to them for!

[shiftBKperspectives]

Tammy, it could be your graphics card...but just so you know, the Adobe Rep that used to be on this discussion list things that it might be graphic card driver related. You getting a new graphic card might help...even because it might have a more updated driver and be more compatible. I have a BRAND NEW iMac and having problems with all my brand new components. Since the only way I can upgrade my driver is via an OS upgrade, they think, maybe, hope that an updated driver in High Sierra would help me, but they don't know that for sure. Anyway...I hope your new card helps you! I would love to hear if it does!

[tammyk64522304]

well, new card is installed and testing with the file that was giving me grief before (which admittedly is HUGE - 9 GB, but i've worked on larger with no problems before).  i turned back on graphics processor but set it on basic.  it's still having major issues with the cloning healing brush.  the stamp seems to be ok and the regular brushes, even very complex ones, are fine.  i think for this client with these ginormous files (i only have 2 clients that make files this big), i will just try like heck not to use the healing brush.  which isn't a great solution but i can live with it.  this is one 2017 cc, BTW.  i won't go to 2018 anytime soon, or at least til i see most of the folks in here are doing better.  learned my lesson!  still hoping PS comes out with a real fix for this though! 

Jacoby- if you come up with something workable- profit away- that's what will make it worthwhile.  just don't be too greedy aand you'll get a cult following fast.   

thephotretoucher - no, haven't noticed glitches with line selection or hand tool, but not sure if you're using 2018 or 2017. 

[Jacoby Alley]

I'm running an HP, a little older but with a good graphics card and 16GB of memory. I've been using Photoshop since it WAS Photoshop so I know my way around the settings. This is straight-up Adobe failing to remember that top quality products return large profits. They've put profit above quality by testing new builds on their paying end-users and it is not a little bit frustrating. I am currently building and testing an Open Source package of programs that can replace Adobe - I'm not paying $52+ a month to be somebody's lab rat.

[extera_sm]

My settings: iMac 27" 5K with only one screen, Photoshop 19.1.0, Wacom Intuos.

I have the same issue: when i use a brush, there is a extreme lag that is frustrating and i cannot use it. No solution for me!! I tried everything in this post!

[ricardoooliveiraalves]

This worked for me!!!

Thanks a lot

[shiftBKperspectives]

What worked for you? There are around 6 suggestions in this thread. Thanks!

[Jacoby Alley]

Come on, Adobe! This brush lag is ridiculous! I have 8GB of memory and a 1tb dedicated scratch disk, and even so, what should take me 20 minutes to paint is taking upwards of an hour because of this insanely frustrating lag! What the heck are we all paying you $80+ a month for? FIX THIS, PLEASE. You're costing some of us A LOT OF MONEY.

[Guest]

Also having this issue. Lag is pretty small but incredibly annoying.  Turning off smoothing doesn't help, updating Wacom drives doesn't help, restarting PC helps but only for a while.  2 months into the issue, nothing happens. Also switching back to 2017 version doesn't solve it, though it worked normally before the update.

[solomonbaksh]

I was having the same problem with the Paintbrush and Healing tool. I solved the problem by setting SMOOTHING to 0%.

[Jacoby Alley]

Nope, Solomon, I tried all that and I'm running Photoshop on a strong machine built for graphics. I ended up exporting what I had done and finishing it using Krita - and had literally zero problems. Ticks me off because I've been using Photoshop for 16 years.

[solomonbaksh]

Sorry to hear that Jacoby.

I am using an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015) /  4 GHz Intel Core i7 / 48 GB 1867 MHz DDR3 with Photoshop CC 19.0 Release

I was having lots of problem with the super slow lagging. I called Adobe and the tech told me to turn off the Smoothing to 0%. It's been 5 days and it's working fine. No more lagging. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this solved the problem.