Where did my actions go?

[melissan61535612]

I updated photoshop and my actions just suddenly disappeared. They can't be found. Anyone had this happen? How did you fix it?

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi @melissan61535612 did you have them previously saved as atn files?

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preset-migration.html

[Conrad_C · Accepted solution]

Actions are stored at this folder path within your user account, in the standard macOS Preferences folder:

Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings

For future reference, that’s the second item listed in the table on this page:

Preference file functions, names, locations | Photoshop

If they disappeared after a major version upgrade, a possible cause is that “Import Previous Settings and Preferences” might have been deselected for that upgrade. If that option is deselected, old settings are not carried forward.

As to how to get them back, your post says you are using a Mac, so if you are maintaining a current backup using Apple Time Machine or other backup software, all you have to do is use the backup software to roll back the folder at the path above to a time before the upgrade was done.

If you were using Photoshop 2022 and you just upgraded to 2023, then another possibility is that your custom actions are still on the Mac, but in the Preferences folder for Photoshop 2022. If you do find them there, copy them into the Preferences folder for Photoshop 2023, and they should come back.

In the future, if you make custom Actions, it’s recommended to do what Kevin said, which I also do: I organize the actions I create into action sets (folders) separate from the Default Actions set, and keep my own copies by exporting them as .atn files. That way, if the group inside the preferences folder gets lost, I just re-import the exported action sets.

[marlenea0231]

It happened to me as well.  I have a PC not MAC.  This has happened several times and it's a pain in the tushy to get them all loaded again; especially, when I'm in the middle of editing a photo session.   Please help me to make sure it doesn't happen again.  TIA, Sandi

[Kevin Stohlmeyer · Accepted solution]

@marlenea0231 First turn off auto update and update on your schedule when you have time to allow for migration. Second make sure you have you actions backed up to a location you know. Third - use the preset migration tool when you launch the new PS.

[Stephen Marsh · Accepted solution]

@melissan61535612 

More here:

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/01/photoshop-custom-action-file-backup.html?m=1

[kevinm80050604]

I just upgraded PS to 26.11 and lost all my Actions.

On my MacBook, the path .....

Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings

..... doesn't show [version] it shows [year].  I have a folder named "(Beta) Settings" and "2025 Settings" and "2024 Settings" .... all with a timestamp showing they have been updated "Today at 7:09pm" 

I suspect the current settings (after the upgrade) might be in the "(Beta) Settings" but I'm not sure.

I renamed the files Actions Palette.psp and Adobe Photoshop (Beta) Perfs.psp with the prefix (old) to preserve them and copied the corresponding files from the Adobe Photoshop 2025 Settings folder. I closed and quit Photoshop and relaunched it .... it didn't work. Any suggestions?

[Stephen Marsh]

@kevinm80050604 

Do you have a Time Machine backup?

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@kevinm80050604 If you didnt actually export out the actions as atn files they may not be recoverable.