Photoshop: Disable "Could not use the move tool because no layers are selected." Message

Report · Mar 14, 2013

Get rid of the "Could not use the move tool because no layers are selected." message that pops up when you click anywhere with no layer selected. Or, at the very least, make an option to disable this dialog. In an effort to improve the Adobe cross-platform experience, please disable this pop-up message. I actively use Illustrator and Photoshop together literally every day and in Illustrator, you click off of an object to deselect it. If I do the same thing in Photoshop, I get the redundant dialog. I don't need Photoshop to deselect layers when clicking elsewhere on the canvas, but I do need it to stop showing a message every time I click, either on purpose or on accident, without a layer selected. Seriously, if I click and nothing happens, I know it is because I don't have a layer selected - I don't need a stupid window to pop up every single time to tell me no layer is selected.

Please... make it stop. Thank you.

Report · Jun 17, 2013

There was another Photoshop update the other day... with no useful changes. Every time I get an update, I hope that simple things like the "no layers are selected" box will be fixed. Or, at the very least, add a check box to the Preferences so I can turn the dumb thing off.

I can't be the only one who finds this annoying.

Report · Jun 17, 2013

The update was only bug fixes.

The error alert telling you that you made a mistake in your selection is not a bug.

Report · Jun 17, 2013

Sorry, Chris... this was not helpful at all. I didn't ask what the update was about.

In reply to your comment, if I click on the artboard with no layer selected, that is not a mistake in my selection. As I stated in the OP, anyone who uses multiple programs in the Creative Suite knows that in other programs, clicking on a blank area of the artboard deselects the current selection. Therfore, clicking outside of your work area is habitual. It is redundant that Photoshop handles a non-selection click as an "error".

Report · Aug 01, 2013

I gotta side with Paul here.

Regardless of whether or not it's a bug, there should be an option to disable the pop-up. It's quite annoying.

Report · Oct 15, 2013

I would like to reiterate that I hate this stupid pop-up box. Please allow us to turn the dumb thing off.

Report · Nov 03, 2013

I also hate it. I don't remember this in previous versions.

Report · Feb 13, 2014

I remember it from previous versions, but it's quite silly indeed.

Other warning dialogs have a "don't show again" checkbox -> this DESPARATELY needs one.

If I can't move because nothing is selected, I will notice when nothing moves. Then I will adjust my selection.

But right now it just pops up whenever I do a wrong click, and then I have to get my hand off the mouse, on to the keyboard and press Enter which disrupts whatever I'm working on.

Or even better, when I'm selecting multiple layers with CMD + click, it will also pop up for whatever reason, because clicking somewhere you're bound to drag a little bit.

Report · Feb 19, 2014

I still despise this pop-up box. Please allow us to turn it off!

Report · Aug 20, 2015

Ditto. Double-ditto. I have no need of this warning and there ought to be a pro setting that allows disabling such annoying warning messages.

PLEASE.

Report · Sep 02, 2015

I google this topic again, and it appears I've reacted once before already!

Please fix this Adobe. It literally can't take much more than an hour to add this to the settings.

Report · Sep 12, 2015

Is there anyone from Adobe even reading this ? Does this post count as a logged bug? Because this problem has been here since more than a year. I tried logging a bug in the adobe bugbase, but you can not select photoshop. This is interface UX 101, just put a simple "[ ] Do not show again", and stop bothering users. I get that popup 10 times per hour. It is excessive. And I am fed up already.

Report · Sep 12, 2015

Yes, we read them. But this is not a bug. This is just a warning message telling you that you made a mistake (much like "oil level is low" warnings in your car).

Report · Sep 12, 2015

wow. double wow.

Chris, your example is way off. This warning is more like "Warning, you are currently not turning because you probably don't need to make a turn".

Yeah, pretty annoying.

Report · Sep 12, 2015

Hello Cris,

Thanks for your answer.

I am sorry, but I strongly disagree with you.
When you use illustrator or other ADOBE programs, this behaviour does not happen (and please, don't add this "dis-feature" now in illustrator or I will hit my head with a wall in a loop).

This popup is pointless... I know that when I am clicking outside of the canvas, nothing is going to move (because, precisely, I am outside the canvas). It's like if every time you close the door and then remove your hand from the handle, I tell you with a popup that "your hand can not be used because it is not in the handle".

I bet that 99.9% of the users, which by the way pay their price monthy... do not want this to happen.

What we are requesting is not something aesthetical (like "I don't like the gray shade of the UI", which is purely subjective). We are requesting to add an option to remove something that makes us (the users / your clients / the ones who pay for the software), very frustrated and angry with a product that we, otherwise, LOVE.

We are requesting that you make your product better, in the most simple way, by making the UX better, and by having a less intrussive workflow.

Thanks,

Report · Sep 12, 2015

Yes this is very annoying. I see it a hundred times a day. It disturbs my workflow. Because I use locking layers and layers direct selection by mouse clicking.

This is not only annoying message that I can see. Adobe should revise the system error messages.

http://www.goodui.org/#8

Report · Sep 12, 2015

I agree with that. Adobe should focus on people who use their software 8 hours a day 5 days a week. These are the people who pay them. That a lot of small details makes great software. Competition understand this and so people are switching to the affinity and sketch.

Report · Nov 16, 2016

check auto select

Report · Nov 17, 2016

You will see it with correct autoselect settings. Because you can use layers filter in layers panel or lock layers.

Report · Mar 22, 2017

Agree. When I turn on filter layer in Layer panel (In my case filter by color) I'm then unable to use Move Tools "Auto-Select" option. I doesn't select layer and this annoying message pops up.

Windows 10, Photoshop 2017.0.1.

This is related: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/auto_selcet_and_ignore_the_layer_adjustment

Report · May 02, 2017

I hate this popup so muchhhh, I strongly agree with the above messages, imo a simple grey "x" appearing next to the cursor would be much less disturbing than this damn popup that I get fifty times a day !!!

Report · Nov 25, 2018

I can't believe this is still not configurable. It took 10 years to get CTRL+Z to undo more than one thing (I know there was another shortcut for multi-undo unlike every other app in the world), so maybe in another 10 years they'll realize this is a really awful user experience to show "Warnings" as error modals that disrupt your workflow and require you to manually dismiss. Just change the modal to a toast-style popup.

Horrific UX should be considered a bug in terms of escalation/priority.

@Chris, this is more like your car displays a warning on your windshield obstructing your view and disabling your entire car until you reach up and click the X every time you press a wrong button on your radio.

Report · Jun 09, 2019

To fix this, click the red button on the image above
The problem will be solved
I'm happy to follow you
Instagram: vahid.sghn

Report · Jun 10, 2019

Hello, nopa web. Unfortunately, the button you are referring to is the layer filtering toggle switch, which has nothing to do with the issue we are experiencing.

Report · Jun 17, 2019

Hello you all, my issue has been fixed. I just test it again after 2 years in it works now. My actual version is CC2019 19.1.7

Report · Jun 17, 2019

Hello, nopa web. Thank you for you comment, this bring me back to this thread after 2 year.
Greatings to Paul Zahorosky.

So I just test my issue again in actual version is CC2019 19.1.7.

Made layers labled by colors > Filter them by one of that color > Pick Move tool with "Auto select"

Now it works, without any Error message.
Adobe guys obviously fixed this issue.