Updating Photoshop and MacOS [Will brushes be preserved?]

[austinmdiamond]

Hi everyone!

I would like to update Photoshop but I am scared about keeping my brushes. I currently have lots and lots of brushes I've added from the Internet as well as custom brushes. They are stored in a couple different places in my computer. I also have customized the brush folders, so for example I have a "Favorites" folder as well as other custom folders. If I update Photoshop, will I a) lose my brushes b) lose my folders? 

Next question is, I also would like to update my MacOS fairly significantly from OS Catalina to OS Monterey, which is even jumping past Big Sur. Will this mess with my brushes and folders?

Thank you so much for your help!! Austin 🙂

[TheDigitalDog]

An OS update should not have any effect on your brushes. 

Also see this (how to save the brushes):

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/creating-modifying-brushes.html

To save your new brush permanently or distribute it to other users, you must save the brush as part of a set of brushes. Choose Save Brushes from the Brush Presets panel menu, and then save to a new set or overwrite an existing set. If you reset or replace the brushes in the Brush Presets panel without saving it in a set, you could lose your new brush.

[gener7]

Photoshop will never delete third party brushes, but if you make a custom preset, be sure to save it.

https://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/save-custom-brush-presets-photoshop-cc2018/

When updating Photoshop, make sure you do not check the dialog box asking to remove the previous version. Doing so will definitely complicate your efforts to migrate your presets. 

When you perform the upgrade, checking the dialog box to "import previous settings and preferences" will migrate many of your customized settings into the new app.

[DaveJCummings]

Exactly.  I often make duplicates of a brush if I make substancial changes 

[austinmdiamond]

Thank you for your replies. 

So, when I upgrade, will the folders and folder order of my brushes remain the same? And will my brusehs keep the same names? (I have renamed many for ease of finding.)

[gener7]

That's correct. Since your own brushes are not part of the install, they are left alone. They will not be renamed.

[John Waller]

Suggest you backup your brushes to an .abr file as insurance in any case

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/transferring-brushes-to-new-computer/...

[jane-e]

---

@austinmdiamond wrote:

Next question is, I also would like to update my MacOS fairly significantly from OS Catalina to OS Monterey,

---

Be sure to have a complete system backup using Time Machine before you update your macOS. My last OS update failed and deleted my hard drive. Although it took quite a few hours, I lost nothing when I did a system restore from Time Machine.

Jane

[austinmdiamond]

I suppose I should ask the following since you have all provided me very informative answers:

I went ahead and tried updating to the newest version of Photoshop (23.2). However, it kept freezing on the preset syncing stage, either when first starting it up, or when trying to exit out. FORTUNATELY, following your advice, I had not removed the previous version, so I uninstalled that new version and have gone back to the old one. I tried calling Adobe to find out what was happening but they were not able to provide an answer.

Do any of you have any experience with this? The new Photoshop did say it was suggested to move to a newer OS than Catalina (was still on it.) However, I am not so confident that going to Monterey would have fixed it. Looking online it looks like others have been having the same issue.