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P: How to fix Photoshop Scratch Disks Full Error?

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I am running Photoshop CC on my MacBook Air with macOS Sierra. Every time I attempt to open Photoshop through any means, the following message appears: "Could not initialize Photoshop because the scratch disks are full", and Photoshop does not open. I tried clearing space from my Mac in general including several GB worth of apps and removing several cache files, but nothing seems to work. I also tried holding down the command and option keys to reveal the Scratch Disk Preferences, and it lets me select the Startup and MacIntosh HD. Again, nothing worked. Anyone know how to fix this message, and/or clear scratch disk space?

{Moderator note: Edited the thread title PS-65057}

Mohit GoyalCorrect answer

Community Manager

Hi all,

We're sorry for the scratch disk issue. Take a look at the following troubleshooting article which can help you to resolve the "Scratch disk is full" error: Troubleshoot scratch disk full errors in Photoshop

Please have a look and let us know if that helps.

Thanks,

Mohit

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U

UWLES

Participant

I am having the issue where it says I can't open up photoshop because of the scratch disks - but when I hold down CTRL + ALT this is all I get - so I can't even reset it.

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deanned28105396

Participating Frequently

I had this as well - and the only way I could reset it was to uninstall the program and reinstall, and when I first opened it, I first plugged in an external hard drive and then hold down CTRL + ALT and I could select it.....

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S

Summer5CD2

Participant

So what do I do when that thing pops up

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A

aandrade01

Participant

HI, I was trying to enter to Photoshop but it wont open since my scratch disks are full. Ive seen tons of tutorials but none would help me to empty the scratch disks. Can someone help me?

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marliton

Community Expert

Hi. Essentially, you need as much free space as possible in your Scratch Disk. Maybe these links can be helpful:

Troubleshoot scratch disk full errors in Photoshop

P: Photoshop won't open because scratch disks are full

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Marlon Ceballos

M

Mozie

Participant

Apparently my scratch disk is full. I hold down the Ctrl + Alt keys and try to open PhotoShop but I keep getting the message that it's full. It won't open! So how do I get to the settings then?

I am a designer, not a techie, the 'instructions' are not aimed at technically challenged people.

If I uninstall then reinstall will that fix it? HELP!

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Akash Sharma

Legend

Hi there,

Sorry that Photoshop is showing an error message that says scratch disks are full on your computer.

Which version of Photoshop are you using? Would you mind checking the steps mentioned in this article https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/scratch-disks-preferences.html#Troubleshootscratchdisksarefullerror and let us know if that helps?

Thanks,

Akash

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M

Mozie

Participant

I'm running PhotoShop CC 2020.... I cannot find these .psp files on my laptop... HELP!

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L

lindab7211400

Participant

I have tried two different external disks. Both are formatted as Mac OS Extended journaled. Any ideas what could be

wrong?

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Akash Sharma

Legend

Hi there,

Sorry that Photoshop is not recognizing your external drive as a scratch disk drive.

I'd recommend that you checkout the steps mentioned in this article https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/scratch-disks-preferences.html#Troubleshootscratchdiskfullerror and let us know if that helps.

Thanks,

Akash

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juanbriasco

Participant

For those who hasn't solved the problem try this!
1) Go to Mac icon on the upper left corner

2) Click on About this Mac > Storage > Manage > Documents

3) Click on "Incompatible Apps" or something like that (I have it in Spanish)

4) Delete every file shown there. Most are from Adobe.

5) Now try to open Photoshop ad it must be solved.

For me it worked.

😄

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Pete.Green

Hi all,

We have several suggestions for the Scratch disk full error listed on our KB article here: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/scratch-disks-preferences.html#Troubleshootscratchdisksarefullerror

Please have a look and try the suggestions listed there.

Let us know if that helps.

Regards,

Pete

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M

Mollierutt12

Participant

Please help! It won't let me do anything because 'my scratch disk is full' even tho in the preferences I have my hard drive with over 800 GB selected. What do I do? (Sorry for bad quality picture)

thank you!

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Akash Sharma

Legend

Hi there,

Sorry that you're getting an error "Scratch disk full" while using Photoshop.

Which version of Photoshop and the operating system you're working with? In Photoshop, you can check that by going to Help > System Info.

Would you mind checking the troubleshooting steps mentioned in this article https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/scratch-disks-preferences.html#Troubleshootscratchdiskfullerror and let us know if that helps?

Thanks,

Akash

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C

ChelseyDixon

Participant

I've read every post on scratch discs, so don't refer me to one of those posts, I've googled everything, I've been on hold with Adobe customer support for 25 minutes. I can't change the location of my scratch disc, nothing works, I need an actual person to help walk me through this. I'm doing step by step everything every blog says to do, it won't work. I'm paying a ton of money for this program that has been nothing but a nightmare from day one. I have to use it because my photogrophy class requires it. This so seriously shouldn't be this hard. I've used free apps on my phone that work better than this. I need some actual help.

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Nancy OShea

Community Expert

The devil is in the details. Tell us about your computer system.

Which operating system build #?
How many hard drives do you have and what type are they?
Which version of Photoshop?
Do you have administrative rights to change settings on your computer?

Scratch disks cannot be

Network drives
Thumb drives
Any USB-2 drive

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Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

R

r-bin

Legend

how to enable external usb-flash drive as scratch

look https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/unable-to-select-new-scratch-disk-on-photoshop-2020/m-p/10839046#M295243

)))

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neegedee

Participating Frequently

Hi all.

I am trying to change the scratch disk to my external hard drive by going to preferences> Scratch disks etc but my External HD isn't showing as an option and it won't allow me to de-select the Mac HD option either. Even when I launch PS and press Command + option it doesn't show my external HD as an option.

I had to spend ages deleting a load of files from my HD in order to free up space, but I have an ext HD with tons of space so I would like to use that instead.

I'm using Photoshop CC 2020 - Macbook Pro Catalina v 10.15.2

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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R

r-bin

Legend

For windows, you can do this

For Mac, I don’t know where the registry analog is, where you can specify the parameters for Photoshop.

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A

ackerman94

Participant

Hello,

I am currently having an issue with scratch disks where I cannot open up Photoshop whatsoever to change my preferences, and it gives me no options to change or update my scratch disk preferences. Please help!

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D Fosse

Community Expert

Your disk really is full, 3.75GB free is almost down to nothing at all. You don't get an option to change it because that's the only disk you have.

You really need to clear out space ASAP! You will soon have much bigger problems than Photoshop. Consider this an early warning before the machine freezes up completely.

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deanned28105396

Participating Frequently

D_Fosse, This response, although perhaps accurate, is not helpful for me. Ok, so I need to clear space ASAP. What kind of space are we talking about? What type of data needs to be eliminated? I have very little on this computer - it is new. But I have about the same disk space - 3.75GB as the above example, which sounds like a lot of space to me. So again, what kind of files or data needs to be eliminated?

thank you

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