Photoshop CC completely changed the colors of my designs

[Ameliakb]

Tech specs:
Macbook Pro, 13" M1 2020; MacOS Monterey 12.3.1 (latest version)
Photoshop CC 23.3 at first, then upated to 23.3.1

Firstly: this is abosolutely not a color profile or color mode issue - profile is working sRGB, mode is RGB - what I always use. As you read and see the images I think that'll be obvious - stating this because when I tried searching for this problem everything that came up was about color profiles.

I'm making some custom folder icons (so I can see which folder is which at a glance and also Mac folders are boring and stupid), and as I was working, the colors of one icon completely changed - and not the one I was even working on. This happened after I tried to fill a clipping mask with color - it filled with a different color and the layer thumbnail had both the intended and different colors in it. I undid, then tried to fill again, and the icon I was not working on changed colors. In case this matters, the icons are all grouped together and have several different layers, which has never resulted in any issues.

At first I thought they somehow got inverted since I use a lot of keyboard shortcuts and sometimes hit the wrong button, but they weren't inverted - just completely different colors. I quit PS,  then looked at the space bar preview of the file - the colors were different from the originals AND different from how they looked in PS after they changed. I then checked for updates, updated from 23.3 to 23.3.1, and when I opened the file again all of the icons except two (???) were different colors. I checked the spacebar preview again and now it looks exactly like the corrupt PS file.

I read that the 23.3.1 update fixed color issues with adjustment layers, but I'm not using those - just regular layers; some are clipping masks but that's it. I also tried to do the fix for the adjustment layer issue to see if it would work, but I searched and can't find the file (MachinePrefs.psp) on my computer. Luckily the corrupt designs had already been copied to new docs and saved as PNGs, but I'm worried this will happen to something else I'm working on. I use PS every day for work and I can't afford to have my designs messed up since I'm always on a tight deadline.

I've attached photos of the original files, corrupt files, and the screenshot of the first spacebar preview after the colors first changed / before I updated.

[TheDigitalDog]

First, try disabling GPU in the Preferences (Performance tab). Any better previews in PS?
If not, go to Preferences > Technology Previews... and check "Disable Native Canvas" - then restart Photoshop. Better?
If not, recalibrate and build a new ICC display profile, the old one might be corrupted.
If you are using software/hardware for this task, be sure the software is set to build a matrix not LUT profile, Version 2 not Version 4 profile.
If turning OFF GPU works, it's a GPU bug and you need to contact the manufacturer or find out if there's an updated driver for it. On the Mac, that's part of the OS update(s) so if this is the latest OS version, you may need to roll back a release.
Also see: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/acr-gpu-faq.html
Also see: https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/weird-ps-bug-psd-file-looks-messed-up/idi-p/...

You might need to upload the document(s) to something like Dropbox so others can open them in Photoshop and see what's what with them. 

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Hi,

did Digitaldog's explanation about disabling GPU in the Preferences and/or recalibrating etc help? Is your issue fixed now? 

If the reply worked please take the time to mark it as correct so that others can see the right answer.

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer:: co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

[Ameliakb]

Hi NB, I'm not sure if it fixed the issue or not - it didn't fix the corrupt file, but so far the issue hasn't happened again so maybe it did. Or it was just a weird one off thing...

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Ah, so it may have been a corrupted file. Anyway, good to know you are able to work now and thanks for letting us know

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer:: co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please set the Status Bar to »Document Profile« and post post screenshots taken at View > 100% with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Channels, Options Bar, …) visible.