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Photoshop CC flickering on Macbook Pro? [2014]

Community Beginner ,
Jan 15, 2014 Jan 15, 2014

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Hey guys.

 

So I got a new Macbook Pro less than a month ago, mostly for drawing and such. I've encountered a problem, though, and that is that when I use Photoshop CC, the screen flickers! Not the entire screen, but the window in photoshop. This seems to only happen if I'm using my tablet, as well.

 

I spoke to Apple several times about this issue but they told me that there was nothing they could do and that I should speak to Adobe. They just linked me to some updates that didn't work and that was that.

 

I've seen many, many, MANY people having this issue on the Macbook Air, but they have a fix now. I haven't seen so many people with the Pros having this problem, but there are a few, such as here:

 

http://forums.adobe.com/message/5955871

 

Sometimes it doesn't flicker, but most of the time it does. I've updated everything that I could think of. This is causing a real problem though; it's nearly impossible to work on any project at all anymore!

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

May 12, 2014 May 12, 2014

The Genius bar can't do much (they're not developers, much less QE) -- you're looking at driver level bugs that Apple's video driver engineers need to fix, or possibly a bad GPU/motherboard.  Hopefully it's just the driver and Apple can fix it in the near future.

If the flickering happens on other units of the same model, then it is most likely the video driver, which will have to be fixed in an OS update.  Did the Genius Bar guys document the problem in RADAR for Apple's engineers to investigate

...

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New Here ,
Jul 10, 2015 Jul 10, 2015

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Same problem here on a MacBook Pro 13. Flickers appear on large files while using the Type Tool (like an update of the whole document after each character is typed in)

Changing Drawing Mode to Normal seems to have solved the issue. Thank you!

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New Here ,
Jul 21, 2015 Jul 21, 2015

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This issue happens on my Macbook Pro Retina 2014 with discrete graphics card as well.

This on Apple's side, they need to fix their display drivers.


It happens with any app that does discrete card automatic switching and when you have a scaled mode in the "Display" settings.

I can reproduce this 100% of the time by toggling "Automatic Graphics Switching" in and out quickly multiple times.

I currently "resolve" this by always using the discrete card by disabling "Automatic Graphics Switching" under "System Preferences" > "Energy Saver".

I'm guessing that frame buffering that isn't sufficient in that mode as the flicker for me is a partial flicker (top half flickers black).

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Participant ,
Aug 11, 2015 Aug 11, 2015

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I my flickering cursor issue in Windows and it had nothing to do with Video drivers or hardware it was the Ethernet Driver, I don't know how to do drivers or hardware disablement in OS10 but if your MAC has an ethernet port this may be an avenue to explore.

After Month of having the **% flickering cursor I finally fixed it.  In my case it was an incompatibility of the libraries module in Photoshop CC 2014 and 2015, and the Creative Cloud App with my ethernet drivers from Realtek.

My solution, 

I uninstalled my Windows 7 PCIe Realtek GBE Driver and installed the Realtek Windows 8.1 PCIe GBE Family Driver fixed everything, the flashing hourglass -gone, the Libraries module flashing -gone, Creative Cloud not installing -now installed. I was running Windows 7 Pro (64 bit) when this problem started, upgraded to Windows 10 pro (64 bit). The Windows 10 installed a NIC driver that slowed my Gigabit Ethernet card to 100mbs, so I downgraded to Windows 7 driver so problem persisted.

I don't know if this only applies to just the Windows 7 RealteK PCIe GBE Driver or if it applies to other operating systems and different ethernet chip manufacturers, but it does give you another avenue to explore.

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New Here ,
Sep 21, 2015 Sep 21, 2015

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Same issue here... Just got a new MBP retina with Photoshop CC, when I'm drawing with my tablet there's black flickering boxes, very, very annoying.

It appears there's only a problem when I have other windows opened up in the background

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New Here ,
Nov 14, 2015 Nov 14, 2015

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Hello,

I have the same problem with my macbook pro retina 2015... And always when I use pencils and differents strokes...

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New Here ,
Dec 31, 2015 Dec 31, 2015

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I have the problem too! Using the pencil - PS CC flickers very often. I couldn't find settings which work properly. I think I had to find an other program that replace PS on MAC if there is no solution.

My system:

MacBook Pro Retina 15’, Mid 2015

Prozessor 2,2 GHz Intel Core i7

Speicher 16 GB 1600 MHZ DDR3

Grafikkarte: Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB

OS X EL Capitan Version 10.11.2

Adobe Photoshop Version: 2015.1.1 20151209.r.327 2015/12/09:23:59:59 CL 1055659  x64

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New Here ,
Jan 09, 2016 Jan 09, 2016

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Same problem here. Started seeing it after upgraded to CC 2015. It seems to happen most violently when I'm using any "brush" tool (brush, eraser, clone, etc.) and traverse from the workspace to the palette area. Please help.

Macbook Pro late 2013

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New Here ,
Feb 09, 2016 Feb 09, 2016

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Exactly the same issue as ac/ce (even down to the same MBP late 2013).

Nailed it with the "It seems to happen most violently when I'm using any "brush" tool (brush, eraser, clone, etc.) and traverse from the workspace to the palette area." description. This is exactly my issue and using something other than brush doesn't display any screen issues.

I also get a weird screen shift happening (it's quickly; as quick as the flicker) which shifts the screen slightly to the right and back again, along with black flickers. It's very annoying and makes it unusable in this state.

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New Here ,
Feb 28, 2016 Feb 28, 2016

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Exactly the same issue and model of MBP.  I've only noticed it since I upgraded my OS.  I was on Mavericks and went straight to El Capitan so somewhere along the line, something has messed up.  It's always worse when using some sort of brush, using a large brush is just out of the question - it's impossible to see what you're doing.  It also happens to me in Lightroom with the adjustment brush tool. 

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New Here ,
Feb 23, 2016 Feb 23, 2016

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I'm having the same issue with my iMac on Photoshop CC.. mostly during using brush/patch tools. If I move my mouse really fast, the screen flickers black.. but it doesn't do it when I'm on any other screen.

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New Here ,
Sep 19, 2017 Sep 19, 2017

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So Adobe says that the problem is a bug in OS X, after almost 3 new releases of OS the problem is still there. i'm not sure by now the problem is the OS, a lot of people and me still have this problem. that's not fair! we are paying a LOT for the CC.

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New Here ,
Dec 16, 2017 Dec 16, 2017

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Still having the same problem here! It is a real shame for both Adobe and Apple that after 3 years you can't solve a problem and losing professional customers because of it. We can write here as long as we want you are still doing nothing, and just don't care, just passing on the problem. I bought this mbp2015 3 weeks ago and the screen started flickering using dodge/burn, brush, and patch tool, so naturally tried to solve it- but nothing. I've tried changing graphic processor settings (switching to basic ,or even shutting down graphic processor), installing all possible OS (currently on high sierra), and laptop passed all Apple diagnostics! the only solution is just not to use certain tools in Photoshop (how convenient?!?) and to put up with it. It unreliable, unprofessional, expensive and if I find any other program or manufacturer I will use it. Solve this problem!

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New Here ,
Jan 02, 2018 Jan 02, 2018

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Here's a video of my flickering issue: Photoshop makes MacBook Pro screen flicker (read description for details) - YouTube

THE ISSUE:

The screen flickers when, under specific conditions in Photoshop, the cursor of any brush tool changes to a different cursor.

HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE:

MacBook Pro 2015 15” 2.2 Ghz with integrated Intel Iris Pro graphics (16 GB RAM, macOS High Sierra 10.13.1). I tested the issue on Photoshop CC 2018, CC 2017 and CS6.

THE DETAILS:

The whole screen (not just the Photoshop app) shifts to the right or down (or both) when the brush cursor changes to another cursor. For example:

• When a brush cursor changes to the hand tool by pressing spacebar.

• When the healing brush or clone stamp cursor changes to the target cursor by pressing the Option key.

• When a brush cursor changes to the pointer cursor by leaving the document window for a palette, the tool bar or the options bar. You need to fiddle a little bit to get this one (make the cursor change repeatedly from the brush to the pointer and you'll see the screen flicker).

The flickering ONLY happens at a specific combinaisons of zoom percentages and brush size ranges:

• 3200% zoom: with brush sizes from 6 to 10 inclusively

• 1600% zoom: from 11 to 20 inclusively

• 800% zoom: from 21 to 40 inclusively

• 400% zoom: from 41 to 81 inclusively

• 200% zoom: from 81 to 162 inclusively

• 100% zoom: from 162 to 324 inclusively

• 50% zoom: from 323 to 648 inclusively

• 25% zoom: from 646 to 1297 inclusively

• 12.5% zoom: from 1292 to 2595 inclusively

• 6.25% zoom: from 2584 to 5000 inclusively

The aforementioned values are for a ROUND brush tip shape and for the “Normal Brush Tip” (defined under Cursor in Photoshop’s Preferences).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The brush size ranges differ with custom tip shapes, and also when using “Full Size Brush Tip” (in Photoshop’s Preferences)

• There is NO flickering with the “Standard” or “Precise” tips.

• There is NO flickering when macOS is in Safe mode, where accelerated graphics is disabled, which leads me to think the issue is tied to the integrated Intel Iris Pro graphics.

The flickering happens when the cursor is over any type of image (e.g. a plain background color, a photo, etc). Interestingly, the issue does NOT happen after applying an Add Noise filter (with any Amount value GREATER than 1).

• Interestingly, if under Accessibility in macOS System Preferences I change the "Cursor size", this changes the brush size ranges. That's probably because this feature not only changes the pointer cursor size, but also the size of Photoshop's brush cursors

• I tried to capture the flickering using the video screen capture in Quicktime. The flickering doesn’t show when I review the recorded video.

The flickering is present in native "default" screen resolution and the two "More Space" settings, but NOT with the two "Larger Text".

• The flickering happens both on battery and plugged-in.

• There is also flickering with the brush tools in Camera Raw (with specific brush sizes) but I have not experienced flickering in other apps (including Adobe Illustrator) or in any macOS window.

Can anyone with the same MacBook Pro model reproduce the issue with the details I provided?

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2018 Feb 20, 2018

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These are the same issues I am having on my new MBP 2015. The whole screen flickers, shifts and it's like I am clicking a dragging around the window but I am not. This is the second one I have had the issue on in 2 days.

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New Here ,
Mar 14, 2018 Mar 14, 2018

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I've been having this same issue on my Macbook Pro 15" Retina, Mid 2014 since El Capitan. I have since had Apple wipe and restore the OS to High Sierra 10.13.3 in the last week, and today had the logic board and screen replaced and this has still not fixed the issue. It also passed all of Apple's diagnostic tests. I first thought it was an Adobe bug but I have found this flickering also affects anything in full screen mode like Netflix, Youtube, Citrix and the rest of the Creative Cloud suite. Super frustrating!!! Does this affect any other programs for anyone else or just me? Back to the Apple store we go....

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New Here ,
Oct 10, 2018 Oct 10, 2018

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good morning I also tried and effective macbook pro 2015 15pollici intel HD video card integrated OS HIGH SIERRA, flicker occurs often .. Some of you has solved by updating to Mojave? Thanks for the reply

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New Here ,
Nov 11, 2020 Nov 11, 2020

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I have exactly the same problem!!! I contacted Apple and they asked me to take the laptop to one of their shops. 
After reading about the bridge software glitch I realised that my new laptop has got only problem while using the software. 
I'm going to contact adobe as their product it's not working properly, it's impossible to view the images and we shouldn't be paying for faulty software. 

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New Here ,
Jan 17, 2021 Jan 17, 2021

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Why are we still talking about this issue in 2020?? I used to have to worry about drivers, and processors in the early 2000's. Wake up Adobe.

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Community Expert ,
Jan 18, 2021 Jan 18, 2021

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You are not addressing Adobe on this user-to-user forum. If you have an issue with Photoshop I suggest you start a new thread and indicate your Photoshop version and OS, Also how much RAM and spare disk capacity you have and give details of your specific issue.

It might also be worth resetting your Photoshop preferences, which often resolves basic problems.

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New Here ,
Jul 06, 2021 Jul 06, 2021

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Thank you!  This worked for me as well.  Hopefully there will be an update that allows the "graphics processor" to be active in photoshop with the macbook pro M1. 

 

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New Here ,
Sep 09, 2021 Sep 09, 2021

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thanks it worked

 

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Explorer ,
Mar 23, 2023 Mar 23, 2023

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I jus updated 24.3 Version my photoshop start flikiring , I forced to installed the older version. I am using Windows 11 

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Community Expert ,
Mar 23, 2023 Mar 23, 2023

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LATEST

I jus updated 24.3 Version my photoshop start flikiring , I forced to installed the older version. I am using Windows 11 

By @ManjotSingh

 

You replied to a thread from 9 years ago about macOS10.9. Yours is a different issue. I've replied to your duplicate post and have locked this very old thread.

 

Jane

 

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