Tool short cuts no longer working properly PS 23.4.1

[vahaknv23018183]

First off, thanks for taking the time to read this and to give solutions if you can.

Ok, out of nowhere, PS 23.4.1 has bugged out with tool bar shortcuts. No matter what tool I'm trying to select via the keyboard the toll will no select. I've found that the only way to use the keyboard shortcuts is to use the shift key (I'm on a iMac Pro running Big Sur 11.5.2) and even then, it doesn't work all the time.

I've had to go back to using PS 2021 but there are it's own bugs which are super annoying and slows down my workflow. 

I have tried to reset preferences plus I did an uninstall and reinstall of PS which hasn't fixed it. 

Any ideas on what this bug is, how it's appeared (how do I aviod it again) and what the fix is?

Thanks again. 

[CoryShubert]

Hi @vahaknv23018183 sorry to hear this.

Let's make sure we're in a default state and there are no stale settings somewhere: 

Restore your preferences using this manual method:  

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

Does it work correctly? 

If that doesn't solve it, you can quit Photoshop and put the Settings folder back. 

Thank you,

[CoryShubert]

Hi @vahaknv23018183 , thank you for the note that this fixed the tool shortcuts, but now you "no longer have any of my brushes/actions/plugins".

Do you still have your original Settings folder sitting on your desktop? If so, you can drag your Actions.psp and Brushes.psp files into the new Settings folder and over-right them, then restart your computer... are they back?

The plugins are not as easy due to any third-party files... You COULD try the same thing and see if it works, or you should manually add or re-install the unique plugins.

Let us know if that works.

[vahaknv23018183]

Hey Cory,

Thank you so much for your help. Both of the guides you suggested worked for a short time.

However, after only 3 or 4hrs I'm experiencing it again. For example, I'm on the healing brush and trying to shortcut to the stamp tool but I have to press "S" serveral times before it locks in. 

Is there anything else I can try?

Cheers,

V

[Lumigraphics · Accepted solution]

Turn off the Spring-loaded Tool Shortcuts in Preferences. It works fine here under Windows 10 with a Wacom tablet but on macOS Monterey with a tablet, trying to change tools was extremely glitchy.

[vahaknv23018183]

Thank you @CoryShubert  @Lumigraphics for your help. A combination of both your responses worked. 

[MarkQuire]

Thank you so much for that, @Lumigraphics , it had been driving me bonkers on MacOS! Solved.