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Answered

Photoshop crashes when printing

Forum|Forum|8 months ago
August 30, 2025
5 replies
1669 views

Whenever I try to print, photoshop crashes. No error messages, it just closes.
I have uninstalled/reinstalled. I have removed any recenlty installed software (configuration program for a graphics tablet). And I have tried everything suggested in similar threads, the most recent being from back in 2023.

Printer drivers are up to date, and the printer works fine with all other applications tested. It's just Photoshop that has this problem.

Any suggestions? Thanks

Windows

Correct answer D Fosse

That means the printer driver is crashing. Uninstall-reinstall the printer driver.

(the yellow exclamation mark is just a reminder, not an error.)

D

danielc4097

Participant

I've been having the same issue.

I tried older versions of photoshop, still no joy.

Thanks to Deborah555 who nailed this I think, I repeat it in case it gets lost: I have a simnple fix that worked for me:

Go to the Printer Properties for your printer and on the Advanced tab, look at the Driver. Mine was Microsoft IPP Class Driver.

I changed this top Brother Laser Type1 CLass Driver (for my Brother HL-L2350DW) and hit apply.

Finally, I then booted photoshop and held the space bar as I went File -> Print and all was sorted.

H

happytobenana

Participant

Fix my issue! Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!

H

happytobenana

Participant

I am having the very same problem. I go to print in PS and it crashes. I have uninstalled and reinstalled drivers and it does not help. Tried holding down shift when printing.....nothing. I tried reset on quit and nothing. I even bought a new printer! This is a PS problem, not a printer problem. Not happy that Adobe has not fixed this immediately as it is causing much frustration.

D Fosse

Community Expert

@happytobenana

Actually it's holding down the spacebar to remove old print metadata, not hold shift.

You must do this as you click File > Print in Photoshop.

K

KimmyZee

Participant

Same exact problem!!!

D Fosse

Community Expert

@KimmyZee

First of all, "same problem" very often turns out to be a different problem. Be specific.

But assuming it really is the same problem, have you done what fixed it for the original poster?

NB, colourmanagement

Community Expert

I am one of the Brother Printer users who is here with the exact same issue: I go to print and the document & print window force close w/ no crash notice. On checking the printer queue, the request never makes it to the actual printer. (I have never had this issue before and I have been a photoshop user for around 25 years, back when you could get it on a CD-ROM. I need my files to print to color-check before going to press.)
Steps followed & sysinfo below:

system: Windows 11, update 24h2

app: CC Photoshop (most recent update)
printer: Brother HL-L3270CDW
color profile: CMYK, custom setup for colormatch to printer
file setup: have tried PSD, PNG, and JPG (7.75"x7.75" document, 300DPI)

-Hold down 'Space Bar' while selecting print option from File menu; no change in results (NCIR from here on)
-Uninstalled Printer from Device Manager and reinstalled; restarted computer. NCIR
-Uninstalled Printer from System> Bluetooth & Devices > Printers & Scanners, restarted computer; NCIR
-Deleted Photoshop preferences folder (C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2025\Adobe Photoshop 2025 Settings. on repopulation of folder, NCIR
-restarted computer after folder repopulation; NCIR
-Used SHIFT+ CTRL + ALT on booting program to force settings folder reset; NCIR

The next step I have will be to finally free myself from this application and its insane subscription model. I use CSP more often than photoshop these days and I'm in the process of rematching the printing profile so it matches my screen because I can't tell clients that "cant go forward, photoshop throws a fit when I attempt to print a CMYK test print."

It seems there may be a "Brother" theme running here, unfortunately - all the same it COULD be a preferences issue -

Here's a bit more detail on resetting preferences, because, unfortunately, a simple reset doesn't always do everything :

Perhaps try a thorough reset of Photoshop preferences?

(read this entire text before acting please)

Unexpected behaviour of Photoshop may indicate damaged preferences, which are saved when Photoshop closes.. Restoring preferences to their default settings is a good idea when trying to troubleshoot unexpected behaviours in Photoshop.

When preferences become corrupt, then various issues can occur.

Here’s some info from Adobe about preferences:

Learn how to access and modify Photoshop preferences and customise according to your frequent workflows

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#reset_preferences

According to Adobe, manually removing preferences files is the most complete method for restoring Photoshop to its default state. This method ensures that all preferences and any user presets which may be causing a problem are not loaded. More here: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually

The process:

Quit Photoshop.
Navigate to Photoshop's Preferences folder.
macOS: Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings
Windows: Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [version]/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings

Note: The user Library folder is hidden by default on macOS. To access files in the hidden user Library folder, see How to access hidden user library files.
Drag the entire Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings folder to the desktop or somewhere safe for a backup of your settings
Open Photoshop.
New preferences files will be created in the original location.

You may want to back up your settings and custom presets, brushes & actions before restoring Photoshop's preferences.

Here is general info about that: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#BackupPhotoshoppreferences

And here’s an Adobe Quick Tips link as an aid to overall understanding

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/quick-tips-how-to-reset-photoshop-preferences/td-p/12502668

Thanks to Digitaldog for this quick and simple method:

Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (macOS) immediately after launching Photoshop. You will be prompted to delete the current settings.

You can also reset preferences on quit, if Photoshop is running, by going into General Preferences>General>Reset on Quit.

This action only affects the items found in the preferences dialog box. Numerous program settings are stored in the Adobe Photoshop Preferences file, including general display options, file-saving options, performance options, cursor options, transparency options, type options, and options for plug‑ins and scratch disks. Brushes (and lots of other settings) are not affected by the above instructions for deleting preferences.

You may wish to make a screen capture of the settings in the Preferences dialog to reset them prior to deleting this file.

Before you reset your preferences, in case of future issues, I suggest you make a backup copy as Adobe may need one to check problematic preferences.

Quit Photoshop.
Go to Photoshop's Preferences folder

Preferences file locations: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/preference-file-names-locations-photoshop.html\

[on MacOS see: Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings

Note for those on macOS: - Be aware that the user Library folder is hidden by default on macOS. More on that here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/access-hidden-user-library-files.html

In the Finder, open the “Go” menu whilst holding down the Option (Alt) key.

"Library" will now appear in the list - below the current user's “home” directory. ]

Now you can drag the entire Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings folder to the desktop or somewhere safe as a backup of your settings.

Note for macOS:

Preference preservation is affected by macOS permissions,

You’ll need to allow Photoshop ‘Full Disk Access’ in your Mac OS Preferences/Security and Privacy

If resetting preferences doesn't fix your issue:

Go to Preferences > Performance... and uncheck Multithreaded Compositing - and restart Photoshop.

Is Photoshop still hanging?

Go to Preferences > Performance... click Advanced Settings... and uncheck "GPU Compositing" - then restart Photoshop.

It may even be time to reinstall Photoshop.

It’s recommended that you use the Adobe CC cleaner tool to remove all traces first.

(See above about preserving preferences first, though! It’s worth preserving them unless they are corrupted.)

How and when to use the Creative Cloud Cleaner tool | Advanced steps

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

Uninstall Photoshop BUT make sure to choose the option “Yes, remove app preference”.

Once that process finishes, start the installation process and look into the “Advanced Options”. Uncheck “Import previous settings and preferences” and choose to “Remove old versions”.

neil barstow - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colour management

Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.

Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts

M

margaretchristian

Participant

Reset Photoshop prefs, reinstall printer/driver, and test printing to PDF. If PDF works, it’s a driver conflict — export and print outside Photoshop until Adobe patches.

jane-e

Community Expert

@GSHastings

Did you try resetting the Print dialog by holding down Shift as you choose File menu > Print?

Jane

G

GSHastingsAuthor

Participating Frequently

Yes.
And I selected Edit/Preferences/General/ "Reset Preferences On Quit".

And I uninstalled/reinstalled everything "Adobe" on my computer.

Problem still remain.

Reset Photoshop prefs, reinstall printer/driver, and test printing to PDF. If PDF works, it’s a driver conflict — export and print outside Photoshop until Adobe patches.

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