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Nimesh Morarji
Inspiring
September 20, 2025
Answered

Brush mode not working?

  • September 20, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 509 views

This is my seconf Shortcut that disapears all the sudden.

 

Im an artist and i use photoshop to draw and paint. Everyone i know keep saying to try the alternatives, wich i did, but i always comeback to Photoshop, i like it, i love it and i feel very confortable using it.

 

But now its really stressing me out and im batteling giving up and moving to alternatives. Why im stressing out_ because suddenly, 2 of my most used photoshop keyboard shortcurt disapeared.

 

Some months ago, the Brush Mode CLEAR stoped working as a keyborad shortcut, at the time i didnt mind it much and thought that for some reason, with all the new stuff that Photoshop being put in, probably the shoertcut was needed for something else. 

Now since the last updadate, everytime i keep pressing  SHIFT + ALT + S, my brush mode dosent change to Sceen. if i press SHIFT + ALT + M, it changes to multiply, if i press SHIFT + ALT + D i changes to Color Dodge, if i press SHIFT + ALT + N, it changes to Normal, BUT if i do SHIFT + ALT + S, it dosent change to SCREEN mode for the brush. 

    Correct answer Nimesh Morarji

    in my case, i was able to recover it again. 

    Aparently the conflict is with Microsoft Edge.

    so from Task Manager i just terminate task for EDGE and the shortkey works again on Photoshop 

     

    Obviously it means i cant use the browser if im using photoshop

    3 replies

    KhienAnh170997Pre
    KhienAnh170997Pre
    Known Participant
    September 25, 2025

    My Photoshop is experiencing a bug where the shortcut Shift + Alt + S doesn't switch the blending mode to Screen, even though all other blending mode shortcuts work fine. I'm using the latest version, Photoshop v26.11.

    KhienAnh170997Pre
    KhienAnh170997Pre
    Known Participant
    September 25, 2025

    It's frustrating—I ran into the same issue as you. All the blend modes work fine with their usual shortcuts, except for Shift + Alt + S (Screen), which is somehow disabled. I used to use it all the time, and I have no idea why it suddenly stopped working.

    N
    Nimesh MorarjiAuthorCorrect answer
    Inspiring
    September 25, 2025

    in my case, i was able to recover it again. 

    Aparently the conflict is with Microsoft Edge.

    so from Task Manager i just terminate task for EDGE and the shortkey works again on Photoshop 

     

    Obviously it means i cant use the browser if im using photoshop

      KhienAnh170997Pre
      KhienAnh170997Pre
      Known Participant
      September 25, 2025

      I tried force-closing EDGE from Task Manager just like you did, and it worked again. I'm really grateful for your guidance. That's awesome—hope you have a great day!

        jane-e
        Community Expert
        jane-eCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        September 20, 2025

        @Nimesh Morarji 

         

        For testing purposes, can you try each of these?

        • Go to Edit > Keyboard shortcuts. Are you using the Default set or a modified set? Check the keyboard shortcuts for Screen and Clear to confirm they are correct.
        • It's possible that another application has taken over your shortcuts, possibly even a browser. Try shutting down your computer, then re-launching and only run Photoshop. Let us know if the shortcut works for you now or not.

         

        Result

        Windows

        Mac OS

        Cycle through blending modes

        Shift + + (plus) or - (minus)

        Shift + + (plus) or - (minus)

        Normal

        Shift + Alt + N

        Shift + Option + N

        Dissolve

        Shift + Alt + I

        Shift + Option + I

        Behind

        Shift + Alt + Q

        Shift + Option + Q

        Clear

        Shift + Alt + R

        Shift + Option + R

        Darken

        Shift + Alt + K

        Shift + Option + K

        Multiply

        Shift + Alt + M

        Shift + Option + M

        Color Burn

        Shift + Alt + B

        Shift + Option + B

        Linear Burn

        Shift + Alt + A

        Shift + Option + A

        Lighten

        Shift + Alt + G

        Shift + Option + G

        Screen

        Shift + Alt + S

        Shift + Option + S

        Color Dodge

        Shift + Alt + D

        Shift + Option + D

        Linear Dodge

        Shift + Alt + W

        Shift + Option + W

        Overlay

        Shift + Alt + O

        Shift + Option + O

        Soft Light

        Shift + Alt + F

        Shift + Option + F

        Hard Light

        Shift + Alt + H

        Shift + Option + H

        Vivid Light

        Shift + Alt + V

        Shift + Option + V

        Linear Light

        Shift + Alt + J

        Shift + Option + J

        Pin Light

        Shift + Alt + Z

        Shift + Option + Z

        Hard Mix

        Shift + Alt + L

        Shift + Option + L

        Difference

        Shift + Alt + E

        Shift + Option + E

        Exclusion

        Shift + Alt + X

        Shift + Option + X

        Hue

        Shift + Alt + U

        Shift + Option + U

        Saturation

        Shift + Alt + T

        Shift + Option + T

        Color

        Shift + Alt + C

        Shift + Option + C

        Luminosity

        Shift + Alt + Y

        Shift + Option + Y

         

        Jane

          N
          Nimesh MorarjiAuthor
          Inspiring
          September 20, 2025

          I just tryed all of this shortcuts. im in Windows 11.

          And the only ones that arent working, are the ones i use the most. Shift + Alt + S for screen dosent work and Shift + Alt + R for clear dosent work either (and this one for a long time now).

           

          Everyother Shortcuts work just perfectly, even cycle through

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