Photoshop 2020 breaks Cintiq pen pressure

[Jovon]

"Photoshop 2020 update breaks Cintiq's Pen Pressure"

Why is this an issue? 

Why isn't the first thing that's checked is pen pressure compatibility with the industry standard companies such as Wacom? 

I can use any other drawing program and pen pressure works exactly the way you'd expect but with Photoshop I have to reseearch workarounds.

Are the Photoshop artist using mouse instead? 

Please figure this out and create a toggle in program settings that instantly allow for different pen drivers. 

[Akash Sharma]

Hi there,

Sorry that Pen pressure for your Wacom tablet is not working after the Photoshop 2020 update.

Could you please try the steps below?

• Try enabling "Legacy compositing" located in Photoshop's Preferences > Performance, then relaunch Photoshop and let us know if it helps?
• If that does not help then, try deselecting "Use Graphics Processor" located in Photoshop's Preferences > Performance, then relaunch Photoshop.
• First, make sure that the driver is installed, and that your tablet is connected correctly to the computer.
• Update the tablet driver from manufacturer's website.
• Reset the driver preferences to ensure that a specific setting isn’t causing your pen issues.
• Next, try to test the pen in a different software.
• Windows Refer https://helpx.adobe.com/in/photoshop/kb/tablet-support-faq-photoshop.html
• Mac:  Refer https://helpx.adobe.com/in/illustrator/kb/illustrator-cc--wacom-drivers.html

Thanks,

Akash

[Jovon]

None of those suggestions worked. 

Yes, the Cintiq's pen pressure functions work just fine in other software such as Zbrush, Substance Painter and even other drawing applications such as Clip Studio.

The only application that requires a workaround is Photoshop.

 I just discovered that in order to activate pen pressure, you have to activate in your Wacom tablet preferences, "Use Windows Ink"

But even that is an unstable workaround because leaving the program and returning will cause the pen pressure to go away.

[asfsagas]

Please tell your boss to hire some smart engineer to fix that once for all. We have been using that weird .txt fix because Adobe cannot do something that any other company do: Work with wacom tablets!

I am tired of having to deal with that...pressure doesnt work, weird circles, pen track is lost...It works perfectly with any other software.

And also read the message, JhayT said that the wacom works everywhere else, the issue is clear: Photoshop

[jackjiva]

Totally agree man, I am so sick of dealing with this every time I updated my Photoshop either by accident or giving it a try. It's so frustrating that they are announcing fancy new features but never fix this problem. I wonder what's the point of paying every month for something stupid and annoying updates. Unless it's necessary, I would rather just use Affinity for they are faster and more functional. 

[kikimdesign]

Try enabling "Legacy compositing" located in Photoshop's Preferences > Performance, then relaunch Photoshop and let us know if it helps?

Yes, it helped right away!! Thank you so much!!

[Nino5CC2]

Again, you just updated photoshop 2020 and this time there is no solution AT ALL. I got work to do and you guys just broke photoshop again for 8 years straight. Can you please give us an actual update for artists that WORKS please? And also is there a way of stopping all the auto updates? I already started to transition to Clip Studio Paint because I wont buy another tablet just for the problems you have with Wacom Cintiqs and as any other person I got work to do.

Please fix this, you are Adobe, this is not acceptable. And the Windows Ink is pretty bad, its a huge downgrade for any artist so using it to "fix" this pressure problem is not an option (neither working)

[juke99]

I had to enable windows ink (use windows ink from Wacom tablet settings) and set PSUserConfig.txt to read UseSystemStulys 1.

After doing that, it works but not as well as without windows ink. For me as photo retoucher, the biggest issue now is the lag with all photoshop sliders. The lag is now similar that lag experienced in Lightroom with windows ink enabled.

I hope some kind of fix for this.

[Nino5CC2]

Removing the PSUserConfig.txt and enabling windows ink worked, but windows ink is hell for artists and we have been calling it out for years...we literally hate it but you guys don't seem to listen to us. Please listen to your customers, we have been asking you to help us get rid of windows ink because fixing it was a promise that never happened... we did not ask Adobe to make us use it as mandatory or we lose our pen pressure, that's nonsense. If you keep destroying our workflow, Clip Studio paint will be the better option for 2021 with all the art tutorials and content they are developing this year (and yes, my Cintiq did work with pen pressure in Clip Studio Paint so it wasn't the tablet, it was photoshop 2020). Buying a MAC is not an option and buying another tablet for $1500 is not an option either. So sad that a company like Adobe does not care about their artists. We have always supported you for a long time but now this is just not acceptable anymore. Today, you guys made me lose 6 hours of work, which means I won't be sleeping tonight so I can deliver my project tomorrow and it's 2:44 am already. Also, that means I will destroy my sleeping habit for at least 3 more days, this ALWAYS HAPPENS with photoshop so there is no excuse. We already have a virus and economic problem and now you come with this nonsense...

[CNSNGraphics]

Totally relate on that dude, same case here. What a shame that every time you got a bad surprise like that (brushes deleted, corrupted file for no reason, pen pressure gone...) Working in Photoshop is kind of gambling nowardays. I'm pretty tired of that so really considering to move to some other stable software such as Affinity or Corel ones.

[Danipau]

I can't believe that is almost 10 [Profanity removed by moderator] years that I/we have to deal with this problem. Over twitter they just suggested all of the above solutions, nothing work properly. This just drive me crazy EVERY update. I don't have time to waste fixing their mistakes.

And if I enable windows ink, it enables the [Profanity removed by moderator] hold for right click and other BS, pen is lagging and all the good things you all have.

My God this is pure torture.

[delmadobe6]

I have been using Photoshop for over 15 years with a Wacom tablet, and it boggles the mind how many times there are issues with the pen pressure. This is the most BASIC function of a graphics tablet and I had to use a workaround EVERY time Photoshop got an update. It's like getting an update from Tesla but each time they stab your tires.

Windows Ink is messing up Photoshop workflow to a point that I'm looking at other options. If even the workaround option is made unavailable it is a sign Adobe stopped caring entirely about people using Photoshop with a Wacom tablet. I pay good money to use the Adobe products, and I can't say that I can recommend it to others at the moment.

Adobe, please fix this farce because this joke stopped being funny the moment it was introduced.

[davescm · Accepted solution]

Hi

On Windows, you should get pen pressure working by either :

a. Checking use Windows Ink in Wacom properties

or

b. Unchecking "Use Windows Ink" and adding a text file to the Adobe Settings folder named PSUserConfig.Txt and containing the line UseSystemStylus 0.  The settings folder is at C:> Users > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Adobe Photoshop CC 2020 > Adobe Photoshop CC 2020 Settings

Note if you previously used the second method, you will need to copy the PSUserConfig.txt file from the CC2019 settings file to the CC2020 settings file

Edit August 2020 : Note that from Photoshop Version 21.2.2 you will need to set the tablet to use Windows Ink for Photoshop and you will also need to delete the PSUserConfig.txt file.

Dave

[MagdaPG]

Hello there,
Thanks for the help. I actually did that...worked for two hours. 

I have the file in the right place, not working again...
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

EDITED: It is back again. Thanks for your time! It came back with a lot of lag though... I guess we can bring that up to another thread. 

[Flip]

Thank you Dave, that worked great!

[Deerinspotlight]

Thank you so much! Option b fixed it for me

[viltuska]

Too bad using Windows Ink will competely break the button functionality of the wacom pens. This works on every other product besides Photoshop. Why doesn't Adobe want to fix this when smaller companies have zero issues with Wacom tablets?

[newhappystar]

Thank you, Dave! Fixed for me too.

Pretty tired of having to chase down fixes for this bug. It's been going on in some form or another for the last 8 years, since I've owned my Cintiq. 

[neliusv30817944]

I feel everyones pain. Took me 6 hours of figuring out. Dave you were my last hope. Thanks. Have a Wacom by the way. Pen pressure were working everywhere except in Photoshop. I deleted all the bluddy PSUserConfig.Txt files I could find in that Adobe folder and switched on the !@#$%@!# "windows ink" in my wacom settings. Working for now. Lets see what happens in the next update.

[CNSNGraphics]

You'll be (mostly) fine if you keep Windows Ink on and PSUserConfig file away. In my case (and not only mine), using photoshop + windows ink makes stuff laggy (large brushstrokes, warp tool and so on) and breaks my workflow. With this new update and no possibility to disable this anymore, Photoshop becomes to me a low-end tool for an expensive monthly fee.
So now I need to say goodbye to Photoshop for client work to some other software, which breaks my heart. 💔

[dxaldaine]

Hi Dave, I just began experiencing this issue with 21.2.2 and I have done as you suggested, turning on windows ink for photoshop and deleting the psuserconfig file. I'm still not getting pen pressure in photoshop. It works fine according to my cintiq, and works in other programs as well. Any ideas on a fix?

[Maior ADV]

Hi Dave, this method you reported for the latest versions of Photoshop is not working well. in fact, when the liquify command is used and the pen is pressed on the photo to be able to move a part, a circle appears on the monitor which does not allow any operation to be performed. it worked much much better before with "usesystemstylus"

you need to disable the pen pressure function on windows

[Trevor.Dennis]

For what it is worth, if you used Wintab with Windows, the config text file didn't used to be transfered with a full version update. I've found that Windows Ink has been working OK for a couple of versions though, so just use that.

[Efrain Quijada]

I’m having the same issues on a mac with a cintiq, but I’m also having the exact same issues with apple pencil using sidecar, astropad studio and luna display, which used to work before the 2020 update.

[Jeff_LN]

Same problem on mac, I used cc2015.5 for these years with cintiq DTK1301, that problem of lossing pen pressure happens but with very few times throughout these years. 

But this problems remains when Adobe auto updates my PS to 2020, causing problems with pulgin transfering and this problem of lossing pen pressure, the frequency of lossing pen pressure just climbs up to a level that it happens nearly every 2 minutes. I was wondering as well about that but the pen works fine in CSP and other softwares. 

This is not acceptable.