Can't move layers into a new window - Photoshop [2017]

[RachelMellema]

Hi,

Before I used to be able to drag layers from one window into another, to make a copy into another document. But for some reason I can't anymore. Help please! I have Adobe Photoshop CC 2017.

Kind Regards
Rachel

[Silkrooster]

Try Dragging the image from the document window up to the tabs.

[Mohammad.Harb]

One more way, right click on the Layer or layers in the layers panel, then select Dulicate Layer and specify the document from the desitination settings.

to drag layer, Make sure the layer is not locked then click on it in the canvas and drage it to the tab where you want to duplicate, when the tab activate the document release it inside the document canvas NOT on the Tab.

[dloewen4]

If you're using RGB in one document and CMYK in another, some adjustment layers won't transfer over. This happened when I tried to drag a HSL and Color Balance layers over. Converting the CMYK document to RGB solved the issue.

[martinbushfu]

I'm experiencing this issue as well. One document is RGB and the other is CYMK but i can move layers over one at a time if I drag them. When I select multiple layers, they wont copy over. Very frustrating. I can't preserve my layout from one document to another. Also if there is an issue with compatibility, a error message would be nice... Anyone else noticing an overall degradation of adobe programs lately?

[Cairn]

We're now on Photoshop 21.2.1 and I just lost this functionality. How do I get it back? Worked fine until the update.

--- yes, I've reset my preferences.

[Suzie_O_Connell]

Same. Had no trouble dragging and dropping layers into a different file until I updated this morning. What is it with Photoshop 2020? It seems RIDDLED with bugs compared to 2019.

[reneehawkins]

I have the same issue and it's driving me crazy. 

[Marnoto]

Same here after update to 21.2.1.

[erinr92264466]

Im having the same issue after the update!

[pyrapon]

Same, and it is severly slowing down my workflow

[robb3228708]

I also use dragging often and this is no fun.

[ethanw96468728]

Same here. I can't drag folder with layers from one tab to another without arranging the view to show multiple tabs on one screen.

[lynnseck]

Me either! Already reset but still facing that problem. 

[Dalena Watson]

You can get around it by clicking on your move tool and clicking and dragging from the main window, instead of the layers panel like we used to, to the tab and dropping in the other document. Hope this helps ❤️

[Devjen]

Thanks dalenawatson - your workaround is great and is 'almost' as good as dragging the layer from the panel.

[davescm · Accepted solution]

21.2.1 has broken the ability to drag from the layers panel to a document tab.

https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/version-21-2-1-drag-duplicate-layer-to-anothe...

In the meantime, copy and paste still works or dragging from the image area (as opposed to the layers panel) still works.

Dave

[Akash Sharma]

Hi All,

Sorry thar you cannot drag/drop layers from one document to other in Photoshop 21.2.1.

This is a know issue and our engineers are working towards a fix.

The current workarounds are:

• Arrange the image windows side-by-side, then dragging will work.
• Window > Arrange > 2 Up Vertical.
• Using the Move tool, drag layer from the Canvas
• Dragging from Layers panel to image tab using both mouse buttons
• Right click layer > Duplicate > choose appropriate open document

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks, 

Akash

[JDeezo]

Yeah, now it only works if you arrange your windows so that they are both visible at the same time. Boooooo!

[davescm]

You don't need to have both windows visible.  Just drag from the image area onto the document tab rather than from the layers panel.

Dave

[heatherm33125508]

I'm in Photoshop 21.2.2 and the ability to drag my layers just stopped working. Worked fine before but now I can pick up a layer but not put it down. Adobe please fix this, I have work I have to get done and this can't be happening right now.

[heatherm33125508]

I'm in Photoshop 21.2.2 and the ability to drag my layers just stopped working. Worked fine before but now I can pick up a layer but not put it down. Adobe please fix this, I have work I have to get done and this can't be happening right now.

[chrism80325928]

This may be the most ridiculous "feature" that has ever been added or broken. Why break something that has been working just fine? I get that you can drag your layers from one window to the next still, great but the ISSUE is that it's no longer aligning to the second image without extra work. One used to be able to hold shift and drag and that was IT! Please fix this Adobe. Currently having to do WAY more to get layers to align in a second duplicate image than actually needed. This is something I do all the time and the extra work is now pushing deadlines back.

[jane-e]

It works for me in 22.0 to drag to the tab and down with the Shift key. What version are you using?

If it's not working for you, post to the feedback forum at the link given in this thread on 24 July 2020 so the Adobe developers can see it.

~ Jane

[davescm]

Works in Windows with v22 also, it was broken for one release then fixed

Dave