ADJUST FACIAL ELEMENTS NOT APPLYING TO PHOTO

[Ed5CC4]

I am trying to apply changes on a photo facial features. I make the adjustments and hit the "OK" button. but the changes dont take effect; ie; the photo is the same as before. The circle is around the face and the sliders adjust ok, but the changes dont save. Am I missing something?   Thanks

[Greg_S.]

What OS and version of Elements are you using?

What format photo file are you working on?  Are you working on a file with more than one layer?

Where are you comparing the adjustments?  Some of them can be quite subtle.

Some screenshots of your observation would be helpful

[johns19585100]

I'm having the same issue. Photoshop Elements 2023, .png file, one layer. I can make my face a cartoon in the filter window, but once I hit OK nothing changes in the source file.

[Greg_S.]

@johns19585100 what OS and version of Elements are you using?

Have you tried adjusting the facial features in the Perfect Portrait Guided Edit (found in Guided>Special Edits)?

[johns19585100]

Ah, sorry, critical element, that. Mac OS Monterey (12.6.2). Elements 2023 (is there another version number somewhere?)

Yes, have tried the guided edit, but it opens the same module for facial adjustment as when you open from advanced.

[Greg_S.]

@johns19585100, I believe there have been some improvements in the Guided Edit version.  Can you attach a sample photo that is not working for you.

[johns19585100]

Sure thing. I'm trying to edit my headshot for Linked In. Need more smile goin' on there....

[Greg_S.]

Well, there is no problem with the photo, using Windows:

Are you able to see the changes in the Editor on your Mac?  How are you trying to save it?

[johns19585100]

I can see the changes while in the editor module, but when I click OK it doesn't save the changes into the main window.

[Greg_S.]

I know nothing about Macs. It sounds like it may be a file permissions issue. I will ping @Jeff Arola whose expertise includes all things Mac. 

[johns19585100]

Cool, thanks. I can save the file normally, so Elements definitely has write access in general and for this specific file....

[Jeff Arola]

You can give the Adobe Photoshop Elements 2023 Editor Full Disk Access by going to Apple>System Preferences>Security & Privacy>Full Disk Access, adding the Adobe Photoshop Elements Editor.app in Applications/Adobe Photoshop Elements 2023/Support Files and see if that makes a difference.

[johns19585100]

I'm sorry to report that adding those permissions didn't fix it.

[johns19585100]

Interesting tidbit, though: since changing that setting, the Guided launch point for that module now gives me two complaints:

[Jeff Arola]

Does that happen if the Expert mode you go to Enhance>Adjust Facial Features....?

What model and year Mac do you have?

[johns19585100]

Interestingly after rebooting I don't get the "can't find your face" error any more. Still doesn't save changes, though.

Mac is a 2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 64GB RAM.

[johns19585100]

Is there a "mesh" mode in Elements where I could just drag stuff around independent of facial features? I feel like that used to exist...

[Jeff Arola]

There is Filter>Distort>Liquify and Edit>Transform>Warp

[Greg_S.]

. . .   I think the Warp tool in the Liquify dialog will be your best bet.

[johns19585100]

Well here's an interesting tidbit: the liquify tool doesn't save changes either!

[Jeff Arola]

I would reset the photoshop elements editor preferences by going to Adobe Photoshop Elements 2023 Editor >Preferences>General, clicking on Reset Preferences on next launch and restarting the photoshop elements editor.

[johns19585100]

No joy, I'm afraid.

[Greg_S.]

Try a full uninstall/reinstall of the program and choose the option to delete preferences that should pop up when you uninstall. 

[johns19585100]

I did a complete uninstall/reinstall, and told it to delete preferences. No Joy. Neither "adjust facial features" nor the liquify distort dialog save what I do in them to the working image.

[Greg_S.]

Try contacting Elements support. You can start a chat session by clicking on the blue Contact Us button under the Help & Support menu at Adobe.com. Or you can contact Support by telephone using the numbers listed here: https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/phone.html. Hours of operation outside of the United States are limited. See the phone link for details.