Photoshop menu bar on top is missing and no solutions online. everybody talking about Tool bar

[Simomonster]

hotoshop menu bar on top has been missing and been trying to find a solution but to no avail. everybody asking me to go to the menu bar that is already missing and fix problem from there . wish means no solutuon . am using photoshop latest 2024 . I open application top window bar not there and have to reset preferences zillion of time just to open the app with same problem . anybody have a solution. would be grateful and thankful. Thank you 

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

@Simomonster 

• Does the menu bar show up in other applications?
• Is there a toolbar sitting on top of it and hiding it?
• Is Photoshop the active application?
• And you are talking about the menu bar, right? With menus for Photoshop, File, Edit, Image, Layer, et cetera?

In macOS, there is a shared menu bar — you will see the menu bar for whichever application is active. Activating a different application will activate its toolbar.

If you are talking about the options bar, it's in the Window menu with the other panels.

If you don't see it, post a screenshot in a Reply window so we can better assist.

Jane

[Shauntell37034593njgp]

I am havig the same problem and it is ridiculously frustrating. This shouldn't keep happening. I can never remember how to restore it, either. I managed it the other day somehow...but not it's gone again. Honestly, these Photoshop peeps need to get this scrap straight!!

[jane-e]

when the menu bar DOES pop up, it just free floats

By Shauntell37034593njgp

Your menu bar is showing in your screenshot and it's not floating. The menu bar is the one that has the menus: File, Edit, Layer, et cetera.

I don't see your options bar, though. Is that what you mean? It's the one that has options for each of the tools.

Jane

[Shauntell37034593njgp]

Also...when the menu bar DOES pop up, it just free floats; won't attach to the rest of the page. 

(Sorry - forgot to post that with the other reply.....)

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Try Window > Workspace > Essentials, adjust the other Panels’ positions to your liking and save a new Workspace (Window > Workspace > New Workspace) so you can easily reload it if the issue should arise again. 

[Shauntell37034593njgp]

Okie dokie, I will try that. Thank you!

[Shauntell37034593njgp]

Err....okay, I tried but the menu bar still stays free floating. I can't get it too attach....

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post screenshots the pertinent Panels visible? 

[Simomonster]

am saying there's no menu bar and people ask me to go top the top bar that
doesn't exist , and check workspace ........ when the menu bar
disappear either in photoshop or after effects is frustrating had to shut
it down and launch it again many times the i found out have to open it from
creative cloud ... so painful and haven't gotten a solution yet. why the
menu bar disappear, not there ??? then people ask me to go to the window
and click on this and that . just gave up thanks .

[robinj51602271]

Hello Simomonster, 

Did you ever receive an answer for this problem? I think I was having the same problem. See screen print attached. If this is what you are talking about, try going to your system settings on your device not photoshop. Go to displays and reduce the underscan setting. This brought the top bar menu back for me. I never touched this or did anything to change this setting to my knowledge so not sure what "update" happened to cause this issue. Hope this helps.

[Simomonster]

Thanks for your response
but couldn't see any underscan setting ! someone mentioned something in the
operator system setting not the software . Forgot which one . THe problem i
hate and it 's been happening to me with After effects, Photoshop a loy was
the menu bar on top. Not there when i open a file to work on . I just have
to shut it down and get it back on on and on and on until it shows . The
trik used was i open the software from the adobe creative cloud then i open
the files from there and it works. Just i gave up on the solution, just
when it happens have to do what i have been doing to get it going .
Imagine after effects or photoshop with tool bars but no menu bars??? you
just have to shut the whole thing down and start over while crossing
your fingers. Thank you for your response, help me with troubleshooting.

[Charissa5C70]

Hi, Simononster!

I think I might have been having the same problem. I was looking for the bar with the File, Edit, Image, Layer, Type, etc dropdown menus, but they were not at the top of my photoshop window.

I accidentally put my mouse at the top of the macbook screen, and the menu bar I had been looking for dropped down from the top of the screen. It disappears when I move away, but at least it's there and it's in one place instead of floating

[defaultdqqf0bayy8dt]

I've been having the same problem. For this reason, I ended up buying a Windows PC. This is ridiculous. I needed to work on my Mac Pro today, and I needed to edit 60 photos. I ended up being able to edit 4 in 3 hours. I changed the setting to keep the menu bar open "always," but even in that case, the menu bar is there, but the links are unclickable. I've been having this problem for more than a year. I thought that was me only but looks like it is a common problem and Adobe does nothing to fix it. That's a shame.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I am not sure I understand what your problem is. 

Are you saying the menu bar does not work on Mac? 

Please read this (in particular the section titled "Supply pertinent information for more timely and effective answers”):
https://community.adobe.com/t5/using-the-community/community-how-to-guide-tips-amp-best-practices/td...