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Photoshop color picker suddenly isn't working

New Here ,
Jun 18, 2016 Jun 18, 2016

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Hi,

I never had this problem before. I've been working on a project in Photoshop and for some reason, it is now only working in grayscale. When I used the color picker to change color, it doesn't work.  I know remember doing anything different to cause it to work only in grayscale, but I can't seem to figure out how to switch it back to color mode and I'm in the middle of an important project. Does anyone know how to solve this problem?

Penny Jones

pbjart2@gmail.com

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Jun 18, 2016 Jun 18, 2016

Look at the Document tab at the top. RGB/8 should be the norm.  If you somehow tapped "q" on your keyboard, then it would read

"Quickmask/8" and the color picker would not select a color. Tap q again to get it back to RGB.

Always check the Document tab, it will clue you into what you have selected. It would read "Layer 0, Layer Mask/8" if you selected a layer mask.

Finally you may have selected a Color Channel and it would read Layer 0,Blue/8.  Cmd/Ctrl 2 can get you back to RGB.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 18, 2016 Jun 18, 2016

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Check the your Editing in a Color mode like RGB and you are targeting a layer not a grayscale layer mask.

JJMack

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Community Expert ,
Jun 18, 2016 Jun 18, 2016

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Sounds like a layer mask is active in the Layers panel. Click the image thumbnail to shift focus from the mask thumbnail.

Or are you in Quick mask mode? Press Q to exit.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 18, 2016 Jun 18, 2016

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Look at the Document tab at the top. RGB/8 should be the norm.  If you somehow tapped "q" on your keyboard, then it would read

"Quickmask/8" and the color picker would not select a color. Tap q again to get it back to RGB.

Always check the Document tab, it will clue you into what you have selected. It would read "Layer 0, Layer Mask/8" if you selected a layer mask.

Finally you may have selected a Color Channel and it would read Layer 0,Blue/8.  Cmd/Ctrl 2 can get you back to RGB.

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New Here ,
Feb 02, 2020 Feb 02, 2020

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No such comands in Version 2020

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New Here ,
Jul 06, 2020 Jul 06, 2020

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why it becomes basic like the paint that comes with windows ??

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Community Expert ,
Jul 08, 2020 Jul 08, 2020

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Under Edit > Preferences > General, choose the Adobe Color Picker instead of the Microsoft color picker. Sorry, I'm using a Mac, but same idea.

Screen Shot 2020-07-08 at 12.51.48 AM.png

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Explorer ,
Oct 19, 2020 Oct 19, 2020

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I just now, really just now, experienced the same problem on my Windows laptop. Never happened before. So when I checked th Preferences > General,vit was set to Adobe. Okay, I changed it to Windows and . . . and it now is working. Go figure, if it breaks again I follow the advice and not be the bull in the china shop. Good Luck! 

 

 

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Explorer ,
Oct 19, 2020 Oct 19, 2020

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Let me please add to what I wrote above, it worked one time and now is broken. I need the Good Luck!

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New Here ,
Nov 23, 2021 Nov 23, 2021

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I tried that but with the opposite solution, Mine was set to Windows and I changed it to Adobe, and then it worked again.

 

 

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Apr 07, 2023 Apr 07, 2023

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This resolved my issue. Thanks!

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Explorer ,
Dec 09, 2020 Dec 09, 2020

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I'm having this issue as well.  It's also affecting the Hardness/Softness indicator on the brush tool and anything else that would have the indicator.  2020-12-09_0-00-25.jpg2020-12-09_0-00-25_2.jpg

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New Here ,
Dec 16, 2020 Dec 16, 2020

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maybe you can check your layer point sample, make sure that sample is "All Layers". i can resolve it with this

endro0D45_1-1608171134091.png

 

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New Here ,
Mar 19, 2021 Mar 19, 2021

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I just had a similar issue and the problem was indeed the sample size that changed from point sample (the color picker will take the color of the single targetted pixel) to 31x31 average, making the picked color an average of the targetted 31x31 pixels area. Changing it back to point sample solved the problem, however I don't know why it suddenly changed, I guess I must have hit the wrong keyboard shortcut

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New Here ,
May 21, 2021 May 21, 2021

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This was my issue. I was losing my mind trying to figure out the issue. Not sure how I changed the sample size, but so thankful for your response being the answer! 

 

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New Here ,
Aug 13, 2021 Aug 13, 2021

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Thank you somuch, this worked!!!!!

 

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New Here ,
Jul 04, 2021 Jul 04, 2021

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Please select the colour code to RGB while opening a new document,  I had the same issue and then tried opening a new document and found that The colour code was in Greyscale. 

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New Here ,
Feb 14, 2022 Feb 14, 2022

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I noticed this question on a search for answers as my colour picker was no longer offering the usual slider option. Yes the Q is from 2016 but others have had the same issue more recently

I found this answer and it worked for me. 

There is an easy fix. Inside the color picker, try clicking on the radio buttons H, S, B, R, G, B and you'll see how the colour picker changes. To get back to the default Photoshop color picker, simply click on H (which stands for Hue) you'll find yourself with the old familiar picker.
 
 
 

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New Here ,
Feb 14, 2022 Feb 14, 2022

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p.s you may need to double click on the cord Colour for the Colour picker window to pop up even after you have reset to H

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New Here ,
Jan 02, 2024 Jan 02, 2024

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Personally none of these solutions worked for me until... I read a reply mentioning the Sample size or whatever it's called (don't judge me, I know little to nothing of these programs)! I then remembered setting it to 3 by 3 by accident when i right clicked with the magic wand tool. I changed it back to point sample, and my problem was fixed! I am full to the brim with jubilation at having found out what the problem was, and I would like to thank all of the wonderful, tech-savvy individuals willing to help out kindred souls (such as myself) by making quite successful attempts to alleviate the negative effects of Adobe's increasingly apparent lack of design prowess, such as unnecessary Scratch Disk failures, having to downgrade Premiere projects, or, in this case, the colour picker malfunctioning. I only have myself to blame, however, as I knowingly changed the Sample size (even though I wasn't sure exactly what it meant), and despite sneaking suspicions that it was the 3-by-3 average that was screwing me over, I did not even think to investigate the potential (and actual) root of the problem.

Rant over.

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