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How to launch Photoshop Elements Directly

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Just installed Photoshop Elements 2020. How can I open it without the organizer (or whatever its called)?

How to

Greg_S.Correct answer

Community Expert

I can only give you a couple of suggestions based on Windows 10. I have no idea how to do it with a Mac.

In File Explorer, navigate to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2020\ . Right click on the PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe file and choose Send to>Desktop (create shortcut). This will create a desktop icon that you can double-click to open the program directly.
With the program open, right-click on the taskbar icon and select Pin to taskbar. The program will then always be available from the taskbar icon.

BTW, I assume you are asking how to avoid going through the Home Screen to open each individual program. It is certainly not necessary to open the Organizer in order to go to the Editor. You may also want to be aware that links to your latest edited files are found in the Home Screen. So, if you want to work on a recently edited image, you can click on the Recent Files links that are in the lower right corner of the Home Screen, and it will open in the Editor.

M

Michael25728615sstr

Participant

I have Photoshop Elements 2022 and going to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2022\PhotoshopElementseditor.exe does not work. I'm an admin on my own computer, and I can double-click on this until the cows come home and it will NOT start the Editor. It does NOT show up in Task Manager.

I cannot drag a shortcut to my Windows 11 desktop and have it work. I cannot run it from the CMD line in the start menu.

What the heck?

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William2385767098gt

Participant

I am late to this discussion but in Windows 10 any program you launch can be pinned to the taskbar once you open it. So if you open up the Essentials and then open up the Photoshop Editor, find the icon on the taskbar and choose to pin it. Pretty easy. Then you can launch directly to the Editor from here on out.

I have PE 2021 and like it. It has a new interface that took me a short while to get used to. I had been using PE 2.0, a free program I got with a computer. I dont miss the floating toolbar.

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Greg_S.

Community Expert

@paulplato, thanks for posting this information. Yet another reason not to buy Elements from the Microsoft Store.

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paulplato

Participant

Just to add a wrinkle, I just received an offer for Elements 2021 and bought it through Microsoft. It installed automatically and works fine but goes to the initial splash screen. I can't find the exe under the two Program Files \ Adobe folders and believe that Microsoft has squirreled it away under some app directory that I don't have access to (WindowsApps). I followed steps in the following article and can find the app but wasn't able to run it directly or put a shortcut on the task bar.

https://www.maketecheasier.com/access-windowsapps-folder-windows-10/

The only PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe that was found in a search was my 2015 version. I guess I'll have to take the few seconds to launch the splash and then the editor, sigh.

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Walter_H

Legend

@paulplato, Start the Editor via the Home Screen and then right-click on the taskbar icon and choose Pin to taskbar. This will put the Editor icon on your taskbar and it stays there even after you close the program.

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--Walter in Davie, FL

Phinny

Legend

Incredible

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kirk.k

Participant

For those of us who do not want to waste our time on the splash screen and then have to wait again for the editor to open, this is a waste of time. I rarely use the orgnaizer and I use the editor a lot. having to sit and wait for 2 programs to load up everytime I want to do an edit is rediculous. We used to be able to bypass this in the past.

This is the kind of stuff that makes me skip 2 to 3 versions before I update.

They should think more about their users. No way I'd try their cloud services when the desktop software isn't convenient.

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Greg_S.

Community Expert

kirkk50220313,

I'm sorry you have such a low pain threshold. If right-clicking the Editor's icon and pinning it to the Taskbar (so you always have access to it with one click) is too much trouble, I don't think there's much any of us can say to you.

If you wish to register a feature request, you may do so here. However, I should warn you that it may take several mouse clicks, some scrolling and some text entry to file your request.

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K

kirk.k

Participant

You missed the point.

If a developer makes a change which does not improve the user experience, but actually lowers the quality of the experience you can tell them. I've seen other developers correct a change they made based on user input.

In this case there was a previous setting you used to be able to use to bypass the start up screen. They took that away. As a paying client who has paid for Adobe software programs for over a decade, I don't have a problem speaking up when I have a complaint.

Most people do not need to upgrade every year, and when the user experience takes a hit, many won't. I've skipped at least 2 upgrades twice because of changes I sw in a trial I didn't like.

That's the kind of stuff most developers want to know.

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Greg_S.

Correct answer

Community Expert

I can only give you a couple of suggestions based on Windows 10. I have no idea how to do it with a Mac.

In File Explorer, navigate to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2020\ . Right click on the PhotoshopElementsEditor.exe file and choose Send to>Desktop (create shortcut). This will create a desktop icon that you can double-click to open the program directly.
With the program open, right-click on the taskbar icon and select Pin to taskbar. The program will then always be available from the taskbar icon.

BTW, I assume you are asking how to avoid going through the Home Screen to open each individual program. It is certainly not necessary to open the Organizer in order to go to the Editor. You may also want to be aware that links to your latest edited files are found in the Home Screen. So, if you want to work on a recently edited image, you can click on the Recent Files links that are in the lower right corner of the Home Screen, and it will open in the Editor.

Translate