Clone stamp tool not working

[Tom5372]

I have Adobe Photoshop Elements 9, Ver 9.0.0 working under Windows 10 x64, Ver 2004.

After working with no problems for many years, the Clone Stamp tool has simply stopped working, without any error messages. I upgraded my Win 10 to Ver 2004 recently which could possibly be relevant.

The Clone Stamp icon is present in the tool bar and when I right click I can ensure that the Clone Stamp tool has been selected. All seems to be well, there is a circle on the screen whose size can be adjusted. The only thing is that the tool does not work. Dragging the circle around after Alt-click produces no result, except perhaps a very slight blurring in the circle.

I have tried changing the Compatibility in Windows to Win 7, but no success.

[Guest]

Moving to the Photoshop Elements forum from Photoshop

[johnhardy10]

Thank you hatstead for that information.

I had a peculiar problem on trying to the clone stamp  it produced an extra complete image which I could not close, so had to close the application and start again.

Somewhere your help solved the problem, so thanks again.

John

[wat4art]

Same problem here with 2022!

[hatstead · Accepted solution]

1. On the clone stamp's option bar, make sure that "Sample all Layers" is checked.

2. If it still does not work, click on the little triangle, top left, on the tool's option bar to reset the tool.

3. If it still does not work, reset preferences to default.

To reset the preferences, you can do one of the following:

1. Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Mac: Option+Command+Shift) immediately after Photoshop Elements begins launching. ...
2. Go to Edit > Preferences (Mac: Photoshop Elements > Preferences > General), click the Reset Preferences on next launch button, and then click OK.

[Tom5372 · Accepted solution]

Very many thanks. Either your Step 1 or Step 2 sorted out the problem. I have to say that the Reset tool command is so well hidden as to be almost invisible!

[hatstead]

You're welcome. Glad to help.

[wat4art]

Worked for my issue with clone stamp on 2022 version as well.  Reset Preferences.  Thank you.

[hatstead]

You are welcome. 

[zee_ahm4385]

Hi, I have the same problem in clone stamp tool that ALT key doesn't work in PS2022 and tried every step you mentioned here, but unfortunatley it did not solve the problem.. Can you please help..Thanks

[Rene328160842z98]

Resetting the preferences worked for me in 2025!  Thank you!!!

[richz_6736]

Scrolling around the discussion group trying to figure out why the clone tool stopped working in my ancient copy of Photoshop (Adobe Photoshop Elements Version: 11.0 (11.0 (20120830.r.32025)) x32), and hopefully to find a way to reolve it. I just stopped working last week. Would go through the motions, show me the image portion I'd micked up, but when I tried to drop it, it somply didn't put the image down. Your answer to the question fixed it, but in my version of Photshop that reset triangle is a teeny image of a menu at the top right of the tool bar.

Just glad I found this massage and the magic button!

[richz_6736]

Sorry for all the misspellings in my previous message.

[Creative_Image]

Many thanks but where is the clone tool options bar. 

Tks

[hatstead]

Resetting Photoshop Elements Tools (qwiklearn.com)