Photoshop Elements 2018 edit text problem

[gregb41743179]

I have been using versions of Elements for 10 years to create digital billboard images, but I am not a trained graphics artist.  Typical images include a variety of pictures, text layers, logos, etc.  Some images may have up to 20 layers.

I downloaded PS 2018 on July 1.  I was able to load and view previously created .psd files.  Yesterday I had a need to change wording in one of the text layers and was unable to click and highlight the text to change.  I selected the proper layer in the right hand layer column and then selected the T type horizontal tool.  In previous versions I could then click and select the proper text and either add, change, delete letters or change font type, size, etc.  In PSE 2018 I cannot click and highlight the text in the layer.  Instead it tries to create a new layer and gives the option to accept (green check) or cancel the new layer.  I don't want to create a new layer, I need to edit the existing text layer.

Probably something very simple, but support closed until Monday.  I will certainly appreciate any suggestions!

[Peru Bob]

Make sure you are in Expert mode.

[gregb41743179]

Yes, I tried to do all the edit changes while in Expert.

[Peru Bob]

Try resetting the tools and/or preferences.

[gregb41743179]

Thank you for your patience and help!  I selected Edit, Preferences, General, Reset Preferences at next launch.  Did not work.

I have not yet found a place/method to reset the tools.

In another help file I found a similar problem from PE9 where the layer she was trying to edit had been Simplified.  I checked and my layer is also simplified, and when I right click the Simplify Layer box is greyed out.  However, I have not figured out how to "unsimplify" the layer.  I will have to search Help, maybe there is a simple way.  No pun intended.

I have to be away from my machine for a couple of hours and will try to research when I get back.  Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

[gregb41743179]

The only solution I could come up with is to delete the simplified layer and create a new text layer.  That has worked.

[Peru Bob · Accepted solution]

I'm glad to hear you've got a solution,

[bvlenci]

I have exactly the same problem with PSE2023 and I have found numerous others with the problem over the years. I also have tried all the suggestions. Deleting the text layer and creating a new one doesn't seem like an ideal solution. Has anything better been discovered in the past six years?

[Greg_S.]

@bvlenci, this is nothing new, but if you double-click on the thumbnail of the text layer, the text will be hightlighted and editable.  This will work even if you have a different tool selected. You can also double-click on the text layer in the image and the text should be highlighted.

It seems to me that if you are using the same workflow as the OP, once you select the text tool, it will create a new text layer as soon as you click in the image.

[bvlenci]

I tried double-clicking on the icon of the text layer and nothing happened. I tried several times on two successive days, with no better results. I also tried several other suggestions I found on this community. In order to delete one letter in a misspelled word, I ended up deleting the text layer and starting from scratch, which wasn't easy because I had to exactly match the style of 12 other text layers in other images comprising a slide show (none of which had editable text layers). It was a pain, but took me less time than trying all the helpful hints I got from this community.