P: Freezing, cursor stuck when scrolling/flick panning

[jethrodesign]

Hi, over the years we've generally found Photoshop to be one of the most stable of all apps we use. But lately, it's been freezing a lot when doing relatively simple editing. We've updated to the very latest version (21.1.2) on a late 2013 Mac Pro with 24GB RAM. 

What seems to be causing the freeze is just scrolling around a zoomed-in image when using the spot healing brush tool on grayscale TIF images that aren't overly huge or complex. But this may just be coincidence since it's a pretty common task. But using the space-bar scroll will just suddenly freeze and the image becomes completely unresponsive. Fortunately, I am typically still able to access menus, including 'File/Save'! Sometimes I'm able to just save & re-open the file to get it to work again, other times I must restart PS.

- Is this common? 

- Anything we can try to resolove (if clearing prefs, any specific - as they seem to be pretty widespread and in multiple places)?

Seems like this has only recently started happening, so not sure if one of the recent updates has caused this. We've never experienced this kind of thing with PS over the years.

Thanks! 

[chad.rolfs]

Excellent, YES!  Please let me know if this still repro's for you.  I have been trying to repro this bug but haven't been able to so far. 

[Corniger]

Hi guys,

Sometimes, or whenever, I use the hand tool, flick the image around and stop it in its tracks, I have to restart PS to be able to work again. Menus work, but the tools dont - stuck on white arrow.

I noticed this in the previous version (I now have 22.5.1 installed)  as well, and as during the last updates all my settings, Brushes, Actios, you name it, got wiped, I also don't feel the need to "reset my preferences".

Is there a fix that does not involve deactivating a feature?

Thanks!

Adobe Photoshop Version: 22.5.1 20210907.r.441 de74e1a x64
Number of Launches: 7
Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
Version: 10 or greater 10.0.19041.1151
System architecture: AMD CPU Family:15, Model:2, Stepping:0 with MMX, SSE Integer, SSE FP, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, HyperThreading
Physical processor count: 4
Logical processor count: 8
Processor speed: 4013 MHz
Built-in memory: 32666 MB
Free memory: 21238 MB
Memory available to Photoshop: 25108 MB
Memory used by Photoshop: 71 %

[jeighedwa]

This happens to me when panning and zooming around in an image. The cursor changes to an arrow and after that, I am unable to use tools to edit the file. The menus, saving, and layers seem to still work fine. But no brushes or erasing, that sort of thing. Only restarting PS seems to work for me. Using Windows 10 and a fairly high end Nvidia graphics card, i7 processor. Why is there no response from Adobe! Please fix or at least acknowledge that there is a problem.

[default64n2p1mriutt]

I have this same issue. I'm an illustrator and I created an account to see if there was a possible fix/workaround. I have a brand new laptop, AMD 5000 series, Nvidia RTX 3070 windows 10 and I'm using a wacom. This issue is messing up my workflow. I have to save the file and then close then re-open photoshop. I would really appreciate someone from Adobe to try an help troubleshoot this issue. 

[default64n2p1mriutt]

Has there been any update on this issue? This is persisting for me and others. Thanks! 🙂

[misterzee]

Hi Chad. Happening with sylus.

[Michael Lande Publicis]

It just froze up on me. I can save, change tools but unable to move the document around on screen and must close the document and open it again to see what's going on in the document. I guess turning off flick panning is the only option when running on my Mac Pro (Late 2013) with AMD FirePro D500 3 GB?

[J453]

Investingating.

Current workarounds:

1. Go to Preferences > Tools... and uncheck "Enable Flick Panning"
2. Go to Preferences > Performance... and uncheck "Use Graphics Processor." Restart Photoshop.

[Diode SA5D99]

Exact same issue on similar configuration.

Let read my post above.

[pentagramwookie]

This bug is still happening in Adobe Photoshop 2021 currently on October 22.5.1 Release. I'm on Windows 10, Wacom Intuos4. i9 and RTX card.

I have yet to try the 'Window>Arrange>New Window for...' workaround thanks @dawidzadlo for mentioning that. Saving closing and reopening the document workaround isn't so great for large documents.

Adobe: Any news on a bug fix for this?

[default64n2p1mriutt]

Hey man I found a solution in another thread that worked!

Preferences > tools> (disable) flick panning

I haven't had a lock up since I unchecked that little box

There must be something wonky with how flick panning interacts with the tablet and windows. 

[MicahBurke]

Disabling the graphics processor, or disabling flick panning are not solutions, they're work-arounds.  I just installed PS 2020 and the problem is still there.  This has been going on for 2 + years.  Please fix this. 

[pentagramwookie]

Window > Arrange > New Window for... is the best workaround for me so far.

[MicahBurke]

We want a fix, not a workaround. 

[MicahBurke]

Very nice. Thanks. 

[KHeumiller]

@chad.rolfs Yes still getting occasional freezes/locking up while flick panning in Photoshop 23.0.0

[Michael Lande Publicis]

My 2013 MacPro was updated fresh from a corporate disk image with MacOS Monterey. I had to do an install of all CC apps and for the last week since the update, Photoshop and flick panning seems to finally be working ok. I'll write back if I see the issue again, but for now the issued seems to be resolved.

[Shelly5CDB]

I downloaded PS to a new computer today. After working in PS for ~2 minutes, the editing screen freezes. I can change tools, but my photo doesn't update. I can save a photo, but on my editing tab nothing happens. I can change tools (like from hand tool to brush tool), but my curser doesn't change over the photo, and the photo never updates. I cannot even go from full screen photo to fit screen photo, my photo just freezes where I left it. The rest of the program still allows me to click things, my computer doesn't say the software is frozen, but I cannot USE the software. I've tried closing PS and reopening, and tried restarting my computer.

[J453]

Go to Preferences > Tools... and uncheck "Enable Flick Panning" off. Does the problem go away?

[MoonBeamLaserParty]

 Issue #1

Zoomed in on psd document 5760x 3840 and using hand tool to move around. Suddenly the image stops moving. I can move the scroll bars but the image does not move. The only fix is to save, close, and re-open the document. I have had this issue since the 2020 update and was hoping subsequent updates would fix the issue. They have not so I am finally taking the time to post about it.

I have tried 4 different driver versions for my Nvidia 980 GPU.

I have clean installed multiple versions of photoshop cc, currently running 23.0.0

I have reset preferences multiple times.

I have removed and reinstalled creative cloud and all adobe apps on there own dedicated nvme ssd.

Don’t suggesting that I disable the GPU as a solution, just don’t. Photoshop is unusable without gpu acceleration. Don’t suggest I reset preferences either, that has been done.

Issue #2

Using a tool in layer a

Switch to layer b by clicking on the layer in the layers window

The layer I clicked becomes highlighted indicating it is active

The tool, for example healing brush, does nothing when applied to the new layer.

Wait some period between 1-2 minutes, and the tool works normally in the new layer.

This is super annoying and a huge time waster. I have been having this problem since the 2020 CC update.

 A lot of things that used to work fine were broken in the 2020 update, and none of them have been fixed. Premiere pro has become so unstable that  pugetbench benchmark plugin wont even finish a test run. It generates an error about playback not working normally. I have Davinci Resolve Studio 17, and it works fine on my hardware so it would seem to be an Adobe issue.

System is PC Windows 10 Pro Version 21H1 Build 19043.1348

16 Core Xenon 2.2ghz

Nvidia GTX 980

128gb ram

[J453]

Go to Preferences > Tools... and uncheck "Enable Flick Panning" off. Does the problem go away?

[Shelly5CDB]

I believe so! I was able to edit 4 photos without problems. Before I couldn't even get through 2 minutes of 1 photo. I will update if I have any other issues. Thank you!!

[MoonBeamLaserParty]

Thank you,  I will try that. A couple of questions, maybe you can answer or maybe you know someone who can.

What is flick panning?

Why is it enabled by default, is this something most people use?

Why has this gone on for so long? I have been dealing with this since 2020

If disabling flick panning actually fixes the issue, and it seems to be known issue, I would expect it to be disabled by default come next release. Better yet, fix the bug!

[PECourtejoie]

Hi, from the help files: https://helpx.adobe.com/in/photoshop/using/viewing-images.html 

See the second note: 

"Note:

If your computer has OpenGL, you can use the Hand tool to flick the image in the direction you want to view. After a quick mouse gesture, the image will move as if you were continuously dragging. Enable this feature by choosing Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > General (Mac OS) and then select Enable Flick Panning."

Basically, it is a way to grab and "throw" the image further away...

It is enabled by default as most users do not have the issue, usually caused by a GPU that is either not powerful enough, or having old drivers with bugs... If it was disabled, the majority of users that do not have the issue would complaint.

[J453]

What @PECourtejoie said. We're looking into why it's problematic. I disabling makes it go away I can add you to thread where we'll give updates.