Photoshop CC -> performance down, memory usage up.

Report · Jun 27, 2013

I recently switched to Photoshop CC.

I noticed performance was slow, memory usage was huge. At first I thought it might be because I was processing somewhat larger panoramas than previous ( eg merging 25 images at 21 MP each ).

Then my SSD drive crashed when the sysem ran out of memory, and I can't recover it.

I reinstalled Mac OSX 10.7.5 on the original HD and re-installed PS. Now my network bandwidth has jumped from under 1 GB uploaded per day, to 20GB, 30GB, 44 GB uploaded.

I don't know how much of this can be traced to PS CC, other than it's slow performance and high memory usage, but it' a suspicious coincidence.

Tom Legrady

Report · Aug 13, 2013

@Chris

No.

On my machine, PhotoshopCC eats huge memory compared with lower versions,

it doesn't release after closing docs. And my machine become very very slow.

CS6 and CS5 don't show this problem on same PSD.

Report · Aug 13, 2013

Again, it is not supposed to release memory after closing documents.

And it worked the same way in previous versions.

If Photoshop CC is using more memory than previous versions, check your preferences, disable third party plugins, then check for system problems (bad fonts, bad utilities, etc.).

Report · Aug 15, 2013

You need to listen to Chris. Photoshop has always held onto the RAM it has allocated.

If you think it didn't then you are mistaken.

This strategy optimizes Photoshop's performance at some possible detriment to the other applications on your system.

You choose how much RAM to allow it to grab in the Photoshop Performance preferences.

-Noel

Report · Sep 17, 2013

I second this, it's been doing this on my OSX system for a long time. When working with files above 1Gig you'll have to restart the program like every half hour. I'd really like to see this fixed...

Report · Sep 17, 2013

Wetouch, it sounds as though you don't have a system with enough resources to do all the things you want to do simultaneously, or that you haven't set Photoshop's memory usage limit properly.

With a sufficiently powerful system with enough RAM one certainly does not have to "restart the program like every half hour".

It's true that Photoshop allocates memory and holds onto it - as I mentioned, this is to optimize operation for Photoshop itself. But this is its basic design, and I can assure you there is no "fix" to its basic design forthcoming.

Perhaps you should describe what it is that your system becomes unable to do after a half hour. It could be you're a simple configuration change away from not having to "restart the program every half hour".

-Noel

Report · Oct 10, 2013

Same problem over here!

Come on adobe take your resposibility and fix thsi asap.

Adobe CS6 on teh latest Mac...

Report · Oct 10, 2013

Robbert, do you have any 3rd party plug-ins installed?

Did it always take a long time to start up or did something change?

Could you please go into Photoshop and choose Help - System Info, copy the data, and post it here.

Don't assume that complete responsibility for integrating software on your computer and make everything work well lies solely with someone else.

-Noel

Report · Oct 10, 2013

Hi Noel,

I dont have 3rd party plugins installed.

Just the regular photoshop from the suite.

I have memory keeper to check memmory usage, and photoshop is eating it all.

Adobe Photoshop Version: 13.0.5 (13.0.5 20130521.r.44 2013/05/21:21:00:00) x64

Operating System: Mac OS 10.8.5

System architecture: Intel CPU Family:6, Model:42, Stepping:7 with MMX, SSE Integer, SSE FP, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, HyperThreading

Physical processor count: 4

Logical processor count: 8

Processor speed: 2200 MHz

Built-in memory: 8192 MB

Free memory: 4197 MB

Memory available to Photoshop: 6870 MB

Memory used by Photoshop: 65 %

Image tile size: 1024K

Image cache levels: 4

OpenGL Drawing: Enabled.

OpenGL Drawing Mode: Advanced

OpenGL Allow Normal Mode: True.

OpenGL Allow Advanced Mode: True.

OpenGL Allow Old GPUs: Not Detected.

OpenCL Version: 1.2 (Apr 25 2013 18:32:06)

OpenGL Version: 2.1

Video Rect Texture Size: 16384

OpenGL Memory: 496 MB

Video Card Vendor: ATI Technologies Inc.

Video Card Renderer: AMD Radeon HD 6750M OpenGL Engine

Display: 1

Main Display

Display Depth: 32

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1200, right=1920

Video Renderer ID: 16915206

Video Card Memory: 512 MB

Serial number: 92299704159996263038

Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS6/

Photoshop scratch has async I/O enabled

Scratch volume(s):

Macintosh HD, 465,0G, 95,7G free

Required Plug-ins folder: /Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6.app/Contents/Required/

Primary Plug-ins folder: /Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Plug-ins/

Additional Plug-ins folder: not set

Installed components:

adbeape.framework adbeape 3.3.8.19346 66.1025012

AdbeScriptUIFlex.framework AdbeScriptUIFlex 6.2.29.18602 66.490082

adobe_caps.framework adobe_caps 6.0.29.0 1.276181

AdobeACE.framework AdobeACE 2.19.18.20743 66.507768

AdobeAGM.framework AdobeAGM 4.26.20.20743 66.507768

AdobeAXE8SharedExpat.framework AdobeAXE8SharedExpat 3.7.101.18636 66.26830

AdobeAXEDOMCore.framework AdobeAXEDOMCore 3.7.101.18636 66.26830

AdobeBIB.framework AdobeBIB 1.2.02.20743 66.507768

AdobeBIBUtils.framework AdobeBIBUtils 1.1.01 66.507768

AdobeCoolType.framework AdobeCoolType 5.10.33.20743 66.507768

AdobeCrashReporter.framework AdobeCrashReporter 6.0.20120720

AdobeExtendScript.framework AdobeExtendScript 4.2.12.18602 66.490082

AdobeJP2K.framework AdobeJP2K 2.0.0.18562 66.236923

AdobeLinguistic.framework 17206

AdobeMPS.framework AdobeMPS 5.8.0.19463 66.495174

AdobeOwl.framework AdobeOwl 5.0.4 79.517869

AdobePDFL.framework AdobePDFL 10.0.1.18562 66.419471

AdobePDFSettings.framework AdobePDFSettings 1.4

AdobePIP.framework AdobePIP 7.0.0.1686

AdobeScCore.framework AdobeScCore 4.2.12.18602 66.490082

AdobeUpdater.framework AdobeUpdater 6.0.0.1452 "52.338651"

AdobeXMP.framework AdobeXMPCore 66.145661 66.145661

AdobeXMPFiles.framework AdobeXMPFiles 66.145661 66.145661

AdobeXMPScript.framework AdobeXMPScript 66.145661 66.145661

ahclient.framework ahclient 1.7.0.56

aif_core.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

aif_ocl.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

aif_ogl.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

AlignmentLib.framework xcode 1.0.0.1

amtlib.framework amtlib 6.0.0.75

boost_date_time.framework boost_date_time 6.0.0.0

boost_signals.framework boost_signals 6.0.0.0

boost_system.framework boost_system 6.0.0.0

boost_threads.framework boost_threads 6.0.0.0

Cg.framework NVIDIA Cg

CIT.framework CIT 2.1.0.20577 146758

data_flow.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

dvaaudiodevice.framework dvaaudiodevice 6.0.0.0

dvacore.framework dvacore 6.0.0.0

dvamarshal.framework dvamarshal 6.0.0.0

dvamediatypes.framework dvamediatypes 6.0.0.0

dvaplayer.framework dvaplayer 6.0.0.0

dvatransport.framework dvatransport 6.0.0.0

dvaunittesting.framework dvaunittesting 6.0.0.0

dynamiclink.framework dynamiclink 6.0.0.0

FileInfo.framework FileInfo 66.145433 66.145433

filter_graph.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

hydra_filters.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

ICUConverter.framework ICUConverter 3.61 "gtlib_3.0" "." "16615"

ICUData.framework ICUData 3.61 "gtlib_3.0" "." "16615"

image_compiler.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

image_flow.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

image_runtime.framework AdobeAIF 3.0.00 62.490293

LogSession.framework LogSession 2.1.2.1681

mediacoreif.framework mediacoreif 6.0.0.0

PlugPlug.framework PlugPlug 3.0.0.383

UpdaterNotifications.framework UpdaterNotifications 6.0.0.24 "6.0.0.24"

wrservices.framework

Required plug-ins:

Embed Watermark NO VERSION - from the file “DigiSign.plugin”

Read Watermark NO VERSION - from the file “DigiRead.plugin”

Optional and third party plug-ins: NONE

Plug-ins that failed to load: NONE

Flash:

Mini Bridge

GuideGuide

Kuler

Installed TWAIN devices: NONE

Report · Aug 16, 2013

atsuhashi wrote:
@Chris
No…

Are you pretending to argue with a top Adobe engineer who has been writing Photoshop code since the last millennium?

Report · Aug 16, 2013

Do your works.

Report · Aug 16, 2013

Report · Dec 30, 2013

The memory usage returned back to me right after I closed photoshop. I just now went to preferences and made my 1tb external my scratch disk instead. I thought I was being hacked or something! Was completely draining all my memory down KBs! I don't use any 3rd party plug ins. Barely have time to lose the programs I have with the CC membership. I still love the product bc im learning but dude, it was literally murdering every single drop of the 25 GB I had on my hdd. Never seen a program do that. Now that I know that the scratch disk needs that much memory, I should be cool. Definitely wanted to see if anyone else was going through it. If I was a coder for the program, I'd be just as addamant as you.

Report · Sep 18, 2013

Yes, this is ridiculous. I was having some relatively minor issues with Bridge CS6 but am now on a different subscription and decided to switch to Bridge CC and Photoshop CC. Big Mistake. Pretty much made the problems worse and PS takes forever to load and open photos from Bridge. I just doubled my RAM to three weeks ago and now it looks like I will be needing even more of it. Adobe needs to get their act together.

Report · Sep 19, 2013

If Photoshop is taking more than 20 seconds to load... something is wrong with your system.

(and 20 seconds is on the worst laptop we can still boot, normal launch is under 7, and with an SSD it's under 2 seconds)

Report · Jan 20, 2016

‌i am having the same probleM with PS CC taking 5GB RAM and 12minutes to load. I am about to go in and delete all my presets as I'm desperate to get some work done.

Report · Oct 30, 2013

I recently "upgraded?" to CC at my office. I mainly use Photoshop and Dreamweaver. I have noticed a huge reduction in responsiveness. I work on a less than 1-year-old iMac, and since upgrading it take 5 minutes or more to open files that use to be relatively quick to open. I also am having slow save times. Just to manipulate text in a text box, sometimes causes the spinning color wheel to come op for 10 or more seconds. This kind of slowdown is affecting my productivity. What can I check to speed up my load times?

Report · Nov 15, 2013

I have the same story with Adobe CC. I have Adobe CS5.5 on one system and CC on another. The file is ±400MB in size, and the CS5.5 uses 6-8GB of RAM while working on the file, while the CC uses 13-16GB of RAM on the same file.

Both systems have 16GB RAM installed, and are allowing Photoshop to use up to 90%.

I'm currently using 6 Cache levels and 1024 tile size.

Report · Nov 16, 2013

I've just 'upgraded' to Adobe CC purely because CS5 hadn't been updated by Adobe to open the new RAW files produced by my Nikon D600. Naturally as I'm paying for the new version I have tried to use it but it runs amazingly slowly even though it is all set to run as CS5 was and I have sadly had to revert to CS5 for everything other than RAW processing. Actions that run in CS5 without issue are laboured and slow in CC and after very little time a message simply appears saying that it can't function as there isn't enough RAM, something that hasn't ever happened with CS5. Very disappointed to be spending out on the cloud for a product that doesn't work. Have looked at Lightroom as an alternative but flaws in its layout and work processes mean I find it far more unsuited to RAW conversion than using CC or CS5...please get this memory usage problem solved!!!

Report · Jan 04, 2014

The fact that these techs are going to tell every single person that the problem with the memory being eaten up by photoshop CC is in their systems.
The fact that these techs are going to keep telling people that the memory usage is the same as previous versions of Photoshop.
I restored the latest version 17" model Macbook pro to its factory settings and replaced 8 gigs of ram with 16gigs and then did a new install of CC and I have to tell you that even if you set the preferences to 30% in Photoshop, it still eats 6 gigs without a document opened! th bottom line is the more RAM addeed the more it takes. I have been reading these posts since I subscribed to CC 4 months ago and nothing has changed. The Adobe specialists tell everyone that it is their system that is the problem and Photoshop is the same as it has always been. Well I am sorry but, I find this unacceptable. I am seriously thinking about getting rid of my CC membership because of what is happening. To me the difference between CC and CS5 is small. Content Aware is the same to me whether it is CS5 or CC. It is just sad that instead of finding a solution to this problem it is being denied instead. The fact is, we all need Adobe software because there is no other alternative so, we are at the mercy of those who tell us that the problem lies in our systems.

Report · Jan 04, 2014

That would be because the memory usage is about the same as previous versions, and we don't know of any major memory leaks in Photoshop CC (we do a lot of testing to find and eliminate memory leaks in Photoshop).

And because we've seen third party drivers and third party plugins with memory leaks.

If Photoshop consumes that much RAM without opening any documents - then you have about 6 Gigs of presets being loaded at launch (which is presets that you added, because by default Photoshop doesn't load that many presets, and consumes under 300 Meg at launch).

If you mean that Photoshop cosumes that much after closing documents - then that is how much you allocated to Photoshop and used in your documents. Photoshop not releasing memory back to the system until exit is perfectly normal behavior (otherwise it would run much slower).

We can try to help you determine what is consuming memory on your system.

But insisting that Photoshop is the cause when it is easily verified as not being the cause, won't help you.

Report · Jan 04, 2014

I'm experiencing the 'slowdown as well.

recently updated from cs4 to cc being stumbled by it's huge slowdown.

I work on a 2007 intel mac pro

With 'no' add-ons, exept for 20 custom made brushes and 7 actions.

Processor 2 x 3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon

Software Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 (11G63)

Processor 2 x 3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon

Videocard ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512 MB

memory 12 GB 667 MHz DDR2 FB-DIMM

I limited the animations and cache use to 65%

but the shear 'dunk' in my productivity has made me switch back to cs4

Report · Jan 04, 2014

I don't know of any presets. What I do know is that CS5 didn't do this and none of the other CC apps seem to do this. (if I have a bunch of presets on Photoshop wouldn't I have the same problem with Illustrator, Indesign, Dreamweaver ect.? All I am saying is this:

There was no problem before PS CC.

I am certainly not the only one with this problem.

Out of all these threads I have yet to read about one person who has been given a valid solution that has solved this problem.

I am aware that me being insistant isn't going to help me but maybe you could help me by giving me a valid reason why this is happening. Telling me your software is verified as not being the cause means nothing to me. I am not a programmer or sofware developer. How I come to my conclusions is simple. It's the reasoning that works for those of us who live in reality, not denial..... Simple deduction.

Report · Jan 04, 2014

I have no answers but if it were a "bug" then tens of thousands would be experiencing the problem. In the past versions there have also been long threads on memory leaks by a few individuals. Why some experience this and others don't is a mystery, so the logical explaination is that is a something specific with the users computer or settings.

For Adobe to fix a problem they first have to be able to recreate it in the lab. So far they have not been able to do this as far as I recall.

I recently particiapted in a long thead "why is Bridge CC so slooooooow". We tried various things but nothing worked. He finallly just made a temp user and said the application just flies now. Might try setting up another user account and see if anything changes.

Report · Jan 04, 2014

Chris, maybe you should give users the run-time option of having Photoshop do its memory management in the more conventional manner, where it releases the RAM back to the OS when it is through with it.

If this means Photoshop runs slower, so be it. They'll have their RAM for other things when Photoshop isn't actively using it.

-Noel

Report · Jan 04, 2014

Noel - that would be a huge architectural change that would hurt performance and rarely every "help". Sorrry, but we're not going to waste our time on something like that.

Also, readers should note that just about every time a user cries "memory leak" we do track it down to a third party driver, a third party plugin, or an OS memory leak. We spend a lot of time making sure that Photoshop does not leak. If your system is running slowly, you need to look at your system.

Photoshop CC -> performance down, memory usage up.

1 Correct answer

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