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stuphunuu
stuphunuu
Participant
September 20, 2018
Question

Photoshop CC 2018 - cmd+z switches to move tool

  • September 20, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 1915 views

This has been happening for well over a year now and I'm at my breaking point.

Whenever I use the undo command in Photoshop (cmd+z), there's a 50/50 chance it will switch to the move tool and interrupt my flow. This happens whether I'm using my wireless keyboard, my laptop keyboard, or my Wacom EK Remote with cmd+z mapped to a button (specifically the left ring key, if that matters).

Ideally I'd like to remove the cmd button as a shortcut for the move tool since I typically use the v key anyway, but I can't seem to find that option in the keyboard shortcuts menu.

I am using a 2014 MacBook Pro Retina.

Processor: 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory: 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Startup Disk: Macintosh HD

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2048 MB

Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB

I am using Photoshop CC 19.1.6. According to my install manager, it is up to date.

I work on a Wacom Cintiq 27QHD, use the EK Remote for most of my shortcuts. I mostly use the Pro Pen with it. My wireless keyboard is the Mac brand.  I have the same undo command keyboard shortcut mapped to the same button in most of my other programs and haven't encountered any issues other than that it will occasionally undo twice in once press.

I think that's all the relevant hardware information. To my knowledge I have never changed any of the keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop. In fact I don't think I've really messed with any of Photoshops settings. I use Photoshop mostly for illustration work and it's really important that I get this fixed as it is a huge disruption to my workflow.

Thank you for any suggestions.

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    stuphunuu
    stuphunuuAuthor
    Participant
    September 21, 2018

    Here's some things I've tried:

    - resetting Photoshop settings and preferences entirely

    - slowing down how quickly I undo and place down a new stroke (doesn't matter because sometimes undoing alone will switch to the move tool permanently)

    - remapping the undo command to different keys (doesn't work because I have to use either the command or function keys, the latter of which doesn't work for me because...)

    - using F1 instead, which works to toggle a single redo but not multiple like cmd+opt+z does (opt+F1 just toggles the eyedropper)

    At this point I think I'll just have to adjust my flow to always have the history menu up and manually undo. Really I just want a way to tell photoshop to stop using cmd as a shortcut for the move tool.

    gener7
    Community Expert
    gener7Community Expert
    Community Expert
    September 21, 2018

    I see you have tried most everything. I own a mid 2012 MBP running 10.13.6 and 19.1.6 in Photoshop.

    I can hold down the Cmd key for a very long time and I don't get a permanent tool switch. so the problem is I can't duplicate the problem.

    You can check with Ask Different ...the Apple Stack Exchange to see if any Mac internals that may be causing this.

    For Photoshop:

    Reset All Tools by Right -clicking on the Tool symbol in the Options bar and select "Reset All Tools."

    You can install and use an earlier version of Photoshop, CC 2017 as an example to see if the problem is still there.

    Sometimes the graphics card may be doing something. Uncheck "Use Graphics Processor" as an experiment and see if the problem stays.

    So let's see if any of that gets you anywhere.

    Gene

      gener7
      Community Expert
      gener7Community Expert
      Community Expert
      September 21, 2018

      What you're encountering is actually a feature and it's been there for some time.  It doesn't work with all tools (not Pen, Crop, or Direct Select), but most turn into the Move tool when you hold down CTRL.  This lets people do work, move what they're working on, and continue with minor effort.  It's the same on both Windows and Mac.

      If you press Cmd +z, does it still Undo or does it permanently switch to the Move tool?

      stuphunuu
      stuphunuuAuthor
      Participant
      September 21, 2018

      It certainly is a feature, I just wish it was one that I could turn off.

      Sometimes it will undo just fine and I'll still be on the brush tool (though it will always switch to the move tool as long as the command key is being registered). Other times it will permanently switch to the move tool, particularly when it registered a click after I've done the undo but I guess before the program has switched back to the brush tool proper. I'm an illustrator, so I work fast. I try to give it time to go off the move tool, but sometimes I won't even touch the screen after doing an undo and it will have permanently switched to the move tool. I'm thinking it may be registering my pen hover as a click but I'm not sure. I've also had it switch to a zoom for some reason.

      On top of this it will also sometimes unselect layers or switch to a different layer. I've turned off the auto-select option on the move tool but holding down command toggles that option anyway so it ultimately doesn't matter.

      Hope that clear things up. I might try to record the process tomorrow if that shines any clarity on what's going on here.

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