Spot Healing Brush leaving black marks / not working

[JustBrett89]

Randomly, my spot healing brush has stopped working normally. If I try to use it, it leaves black circular marks on the image (see screenshot). I have looked this up online and have taken the following steps to try and correct it:

• Uninstall and reinstall Photoshop
• Restart my computer
• Reset all Photoshop preferences

The problem still occurs. I have used the Spot healing Brush many times in the past and not had this problem before. It's very frustrating as I am trying to restore some old scanned images and can't continue with my work. If anyone can help, I will be very grateful! Thank you.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

[lambiloon]

Hi, try to reset your photoshop settings and try to hope it will fix...regards

[JustBrett89]

I'm afraid I tried that but it didn't work.

Thank you

[melissapiccone]

I'm guessing it's not really leaving the mark and it's your graphics card. After you use the brush, hold down spacebar and move the image to force a redraw - is the black mark still there?

[JustBrett89]

Thanks 🙂

I tried holding down space bar after drawing and the black mark vanishes. Know why this might be? I have been editing a photo today and the only way I got around making the black mark go away is to keep clicking the 'move tool' and clicking back on 'spot healing'. It was incredibly repetitive and long winded but only way I managed to make it work. 

Thanks for the tip!

[melissapiccone]

Because your graphics card is no longer compatible with PS after the latest update. I'm in the same boat. I know it's annoying and I'm betting you are having more screen draw issues. The space bar is now your best friend. PS is fine in my MacBook Pro I bought last year but not on my 2012 iMac. It worked just fine on my old iMac before the latest update. 

[JustBrett89]

Ah, how annoying! I didn't realise that would happen. Thank you SO much for mentioning the space bar. I have been editing the photos using that technique today and it's the only way i've been able to do any of the work so thanks, much appreciated 🙂

[Jim24033841kyru]

This actually happens to me only on a duplicate layer. Not the original layer. Which makes me think it's not related to the graphics card. 

[melissapiccone]

I only use the spot healing brush on a blank layer. It is the graphics card.

[Noukka Signe]

This thread made me try to check on "Use Graphics Processor" in preferences and that seems to have fixed it! (I'm on an M1 MacBook)

[deborahb73014802]

Thank you for this tip!