Photoshop Interface is too small for my screen size [2017]

[anja_wu]

Hi

I have a Photoshop CS6 edition and just started it for the first time. Sadly I can hardly see any of the elements of the user interface. The Menu bar, the Panels - everything is way too small. I have a Laptop with a high resolution screen, so probably the size of the user interface is meant to be used on a larger screen. I did change Windows 10 settings to scale up all the elements of other software I use - so all Icons and user interface elements of other software does indeed scale up, but Photoshop does not react to any changes there. Also I tried to increase the setting in the Photoshop settings (preferences/user interface/font size), but it is already set to "large" and there is no numeric value or additional options I could find. Here is a picture to compare the size of a regular window I use and the Photoshop Window - the font size seems to be about half and the elements are really hard to click.
Thanks for helping.

[Derek Cross · Accepted solution]

You need to upgrade to Photoshop CC2015/17 as these versions have been designed to  work on hi-definition screens.

[anja_wu]

Is there no way to use the version I just bought? I am reluctant to now spend more money again just to use the product I just bought properly. I am very used to Photoshop CS6 as I used it for a while already and like the way it works and am accustomed to it. I would prefer not to change the version because of being used to that product and because I do not really want to invest more money at this point. I am using the product privately and for education/teaching purposes to design slides and images for classwork, but I am not a heavy user of it.

[D Fosse]

Not what you want to hear, but - this is why obsolete software is obsolete. The rest of the world has moved on.

Adobe has made a well publicized point of CS6 being obsolete for a long time now. They have emphasized for years that it will receive no further updates.

[Derek Cross]

As mentioned CS6 is about five years old now and won't be updated. You can get the latest version of Photoshop, including Lightroom, for just £8.57 a month (UK).

By the way, I'm surprised you were even able to buy PS CS6, where did you get it from?

[JoeCPun]

I have Photoshop CC 2017, very small too, it is not the version,  it is because we have a high resolution screen. 

[Margarelly]

Hey, cheemaingp50727925 -- did you get this figured out? I was in the exact same boat until I read through the entire thread and saw a comment about being able to change the scale of Photoshop's UI text. Eureka!

In Photoshop CC2017, go to Edit > Preferences > Interface. In the Text section, change UI Scaling to 200%. Restart Photoshop.

Voila!

[Sarintee]

Thank you for your reply, but after spending the $$$$ bucks to get the suite just 3 years ago, a purchase I wasn't able to afford, to begin with, I still regret that decision. I am not interested in upgrading to the current system that drafts my account. My resources are too limited on a fixed retirement income. I am now working with CS6 using a dumbed down monitor and some parts of the suite I never was able to use. Adobe is one of the few softwares that can't seem to adjust to new monitors, it has also flunked out on very basic opening of Adobe documents (so now I just use the reader), and my use of this software is now very limited. I am not interested in buying ANYTHING from Adobe anymore. Adobe, in designing products that are designed to FAIL, the company has proven to me to have no quality consciousness nor loyalty to its former customers.

The current trend towards subscription services may work for some, but not for those of us who can't live with an indefinite financial commitment.

I also don't like the trend of different software companies sabotaging each others' products, or planting themselves as default programs when the question was never asked. Software should never behave like it owns the machine, nor that it is operating in a war zone vying for customer attention. Any software should be a specially invited guest.

Unless a software company operates ethically, they will no longer have my business.

[Derek Cross]

Photoshop CS6 came out five years ago, (three years ago CC2014 was the current version). But there's no reason, if you haven't changed your OS or computer, why CS6 shouldn't still work perfectly as when you bought it - we can probably help you sort it out if you have issues with it.

The current subscription plan for Photoshop CC2017 costs about $10 a month and it includes updates and Lightroom - that's excellent value and it has been hugely successful throughout the world.

It's  plain silly to describe Adobe as designing products to fail. And the business of default software is nonsensical - there are a number of other image processing applications and anyone can choose which they prefer.

[samgks]

So many obvious shills in this thread, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. The issue Sarintee is describing is very real and this generation is already aware of it. We will not stand for planned obsolescence. We will not pay exorbitant subscription fees. You take your customer base for suckers. Catch me dead before I spend another dollar on an Adobe product

[Derek Cross]

If you read some of the earlier comments you would know you aren't addressing Adobe on these forums but volunteers.

This is Adobe's response to a similar issue that arose with InDesign, which you may find helpful:

The CS6 version of InDesign was released prior to Apple's announcement and release of either hardware or software that supported very high definition monitors (4K and 5K), their so-called “Retina” displays.

The first version of InDesign to provide support for this class of monitor and the operating system functions to properly access same was the first CC version of InDesign. It was not possible to hack in a retrofit to the CS6 version of InDesign to make it work in that environment. This was true back then and is true now. And in fact, since Apple is quite open about the fact that they don't necessarily support backwards application compatibility with new OS versions, you can expect even more problems as new OS versions and hardware features are released by Apple.

Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing that Adobe can do about that. And by the way, one of the advantages of the subscription software model is that you are always kept fully current in terms of hardware and operating system support. There are no upgrade charges.

[Ann32502179463k]

Why can't we just buy the new versions or upgrades? I'm on invalid pay soon to be pensionned and I would like to work with photoshop as long as possible. Paying a subsription every months is just too expensive and in the end you have nothing to show for the money spent when you stop paying the monthly fees. I would love to keep using photoshop even if I can't afford a montly fee that I hope will go on for a long time still. Now that I no longer work money is tight but I finally have time to spend on my photos and learning to use your program better and then you take it away from us. With the pension comes decreased eye sight so a larger text and icons is imperative. I and thousands others have been loyal to Adobe for many many years and then you just take it away from us and this after we've spent a fortune buying your programs and upgrades. Why?

[AndreM.]

Can we bump your reply to the top? This was my issue. Somehow it switched from Auto to 100%. I changed it back to auto and it's fine. Thanks a bunch!

[Sarintee]

I am really, really, upset. I am not one who makes any money. I am a homemaker fixing up my family's old pictures. I bought the CS6 just a couple years ago, full price, using several years of my savings, and now with this new win10 machine the user interface for Photoshop is tiny on my screen, too small to read. All my other programs, even the most ancient ones in emulation mode, are scaled up and readable on my hi-def monitor. Adobe acrobat is readable.

All the other CS6 applications are so tiny they are useless. It was not rocket science to have a basic update for all that incorporates the new machine. I feel this company has extorted me out of my money. I am really pissed off. I don't have the money for subscription services.

[Derek Cross]

You can afford to buy a new computer with a retina screen but say you can't afford the monthly subscription for Photoshop CC2017 plus Lightroom for just £10.10 a month (UK but presumably similar in other territories). Mmn.

[Terri_Stevens]

that was my thought as well Derek. It is amazing how people go for the latest and greatest in hardware without stopping to consider the software they are going to run on it. Currently, Photoshop CC which not solve Sarintee​ problem as everything will look too big on screen with only 200% scaling available, but the new dynamically scalable interface is now in beta-testing and should become available in due course- I doubt very much if it will get ported to CS6 though. His only option is to reduce the resolution of his monitor.

[Sarintee]

For the not helpful comments just posted that reinforces my impression that

Adobe people don't care: I had to REBUILD a machine onto a new motherboard

to be able to afford one after my other machine's motherboard went bad, and

had to pay an additional $100 for an upgrade to Win 10 that I wasn't

anticipating because of the processor. I bought a new monitor that had to

be color correct, which was also more expensive than it should be. As an

amateur artist, married to an early retired software engineer (your future,

too, dudes-so get a back-up career), I am not sympathetic to those who

remain in the software industry who want to extort money from me every

month. I would get more pleasure from a magazine subscription. I will be

very lucky if I have health insurance and medications next year. Count your

blessings.

No uncaring people, I can't afford any subscription services, and

subscriptions are like leeches for people who don't have much income. I use

more than Photoshop so just paying for Photoshop wouldn't work for me. I

would rather be able to eat, thank you. I already eat a lot of peanut

butter.

Adobe is not the only one who is shifting to the subscription model, and

they have all done so to keep their remaining engineers employed.

Meanwhile, these industries are in the habit of letting go engineers as

they get into their fifties. Be warned. They will hire a bunch of young

people then they will let them all go, including the oldest engineers they

have. I have seen it happen to 4 of my engineer friends, and my brother.

You are probably next.

With this change in hardware, I have lost quite a bit of function that I

had just a couple months ago. I also can't afford a new flatbed scanner

that no longer works because Canon didn't update the driver for the

perfectly functional with Win 7 Canon 8800F. The more the industries act

this way, the less my generation will put up with this. My "upgrade" in

hardware was a definite downgrade in function in many areas. I could do

more with my Win 7 machine and older processor. The situation is supposed

to be improving, but it is getting worse by the day.

I have found a work-around for using my older CS6 by putting the monitor at

350%, or going to using my laptop. This will work for me. Considering that

computer graphics is not my normal gig, once my family pictures are done, I

will just go back to drawing by hand and printing my own pictures thank

you. There are lots of people who can't afford a subscription Adobe

service, especially for casual use, as I do. I could hardly afford the CS6

when I bought it just a few years ago.

Consider your potential customer base shrinking, Adobe. Most of the world

can't afford subscriptions. Once I get a piece of software, I don't want

anyone messing with it every month in upgrades. Customers want reliable,

consistent, function, and Adobe has just proved itself unreliable to me.

Having the feeling that I have been robbed by circumstance, I don't trust

you any more. I will go for a secondary graphics software supplier.

How lucky I am that I don't need the machine to accomplish something. I am

not sure what the next generation will do when they find out that software

is not as helpful as it seems.

On Wed, Jul 26, 2017 at 11:01 AM, Terri Stevens <forums_noreply@adobe.com>

[davescm]

Sarintee

You are not addressing Adobe with your comments. Most of us on this forum are Adobe users just like you - not Adobe staff. When staff do take part they are clearly identified by a Red "Staff" badge.

Dave

[marianwhitcomb]

No, I can't afford endless new monthly payments...it is not just Adobe, but all software, and to do my work requires about 15 programs.  A new computer is a HUGE investment for me, and I need a good screen to see on because I am bedridden and this is the only way I can effectively earn the little bit of money that I can get for the limited energy I have.  I can also only use a light laptop.  At least I get to own the computer, but watch, those will become rentals too and go the way of software, music, and books, where those coveted things now are in the domain of the "haves".  At least the computer remains the very expensive pad and typewriter that I set it to be, whereas the software is changing so often it is hard to make money from the constant changes and upgrades.  I need my pencil to stay a pencil.  Monthly payments are the fastest track to debt, and now every company wants them (great profits, you see).  And now, they get you on the cloud so they can learn you so well you will go into debt to have the latest and greatest.  So if I am partly disabled, with learning disabilities, I suppose I am supposed to just go hang myself?  Sorry, I can't physically go bag groceries or pump gas...oh never mind, those jobs are already gone too...no wonder we are in the current state we are in.  I can see myself being forced into "entitlements." Sorry about the rant, but the attitudes of some people in here disgust me. 

[rayfromhc]

Hi, I have a laptop with a 15 inch screen. I am using CC2018 and I have set my interface to "large" 200%. However, when I open up Filters, I find that I am unable to read the interface as it is in small print to my eyes. Therefore, it appears that the interface settings in the rest of Photoshop are not being applied to the Filters interface. I am unable to work with this small interface at all. Please help me and tell me exactly what I have to do. I have searched for answers and I have had live chat techs on my computer fiddling, with no fix to the problem. I find reading through this thread a bit above my level of understanding, so I ask simply, what must I do please?

[iamgregor]

There's an actual answer later in the thread (which should be marked as the solution). It's a bit hacky which reflects poorly on Adobe for not making this easier and providing both the files necessary and instructions to support their users, but it apparently worked for many people: https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/photoshop-interface-is-too-small-for-my-screen-size/m-p/107...

That said, it turns out this is no longer necessary as Windows has picked up the slack with the "Creators" update: https://danantonielli.com/adobe-app-scaling-on-high-dpi-displays-fix/#comment-16689

The short version is that if you right-click the photoshop.exe file and select properties, there's a scaling option there to let the system override the application scaling and problem solved.

That said, Adobe should be ashamed of not supporting this or at least highlighting working answers. And you should be ashamed of not making any effort to help and instead blowing people off by telling them to just upgrade instead of actually giving an answer.

[anja_wu]

Ok, sad to hear this. I will have to live with it then, I guess. I bought it because I did not want to pay several hundred euros for a product that I only use twice a month and there was a teacher version available for 100 EU via Amazon. I guess using it on a big screen makes more sense anyways, so I will need to connect my Laptop to a larger screen to use it properly.

[Terri_Stevens]

This is a problem a lot of people have with new ultra high definition displays. As Derek says the latest version of Photoshop does allow you to scale the interface, but most people feel that 200% is too much and 150% is needed.

One possibility might be a 'screen magnifier'. I should stress I have not tried this so cannot endorse a particular product, but basically it is a lens that attaches to a laptop screen which makes everything bigger. There are lots of suppliers:

MaxiAids | 3x Laptop Screen Magnifier- 15-inch

Computer Screen Magnifiers | LS&S, LLC - Laptop Screen Magnifier - Fits 15.4" Widescreen

They are not all that expensive, but ideally it's best to buy one that can be returned if it doesn't fit your needs. A lot will depend on the quality of the lens and chromatic aberration could be a problem, but maybe it would be a temporary solution.

[D Fosse]

Terri Stevens wrote:

most people feel that 200% is too much and 150% is needed

This is partly a real and legitimate request, but also in part new expectations.

Let me remind everyone that an MBP retina screen at 2880 x 1800, with the Photoshop UI set to 200%, shows the UI at exactly the same size as a traditional laptop screen at 1440 x 900. And a 24 inch 4K desktop monitor shows a 200% UI at exactly the same size as a traditional 24 inch desktop monitor.

Nobody complained back then. But now people want it just a little bit smaller.

However, now there's also things like 24 inch monitors at a resolution traditionally seen in 27 inch models - 2560 x 1440. For these, a 150% option would be natural, or even 125. If I had such a unit, I'd probably run it at 100% and accept the small text. At 200% it would look very 1995...

[Terri_Stevens]

I don't understand why Adobe find it so hard to incorporate 150% scaling into Photoshop as it is present in Muse and InDesign . I don't have a Retina or 4K, so it's not an issue for me, but I try even with a normal display resolution to avoid using zoom magnification factors that don't divide exactly into 100% as the averaging can make image evaluation tricky.