What is causing Photoshop to fail in creating new files & open existing ones?
We analyzed this issue by looking at various user reports and the repair strategies that are typically effective in resolving this particular issue. As it turns out, there are several different potential culprits that might be responsible for this behavior:
Method 1: Creating the file in Illustrator (if applicable)
If you’re looking for a quick workaround (not an actual fix), you should be able to open existing projects or create new files by opening them in Illustrator first and then choosing the option to Edit in Photoshop. This is less than ideal, but it will help you complete your work without the need for constant restarts. To open a file in Illustrator, simply launch the program and use the ribbon bar at the top to select File > Open. Then, navigate to the location of the Photoshop file, select it and click Open. Once the file is opened in Illustrator, access the File menu and click on Edit in Photoshop (Edit Image). But in order for this method to work, you need to have a Creative Cloud subscription that contains both Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. If this method didn’t resolve the issue, you’re looking for a permanent fix or the steps are not applicable to your current situation, move down to the next method below.
Method 2: Opening Photoshop with administrative access
This might seem like an overly simplified fix, but a lot of users have managed to resolve this issue by ensuring that Photoshop opens with administrative privileges. In most cases, this is confirmed to be effective for users that are on Windows 7, Windows 8 / 8.1 or even Windows Vista. As it turns out, missing administrative privileges can also be responsible for Photoshop’s refusal to open or create new projects. Here’s a quick guide on opening Photoshop with administrative privileges as well as how to force the software to open with admin access every time: If this method wasn’t effective in your particular scenario, move down to the next method below.
Method 3: Deleting your Photoshop Setting file
It’s possible that a corrupted Photoshop settings file is causing this behavior. Several users have reported that they managed to resolve this issue by closing photoshop and forcing the Settings file dialog box at the next restart. This procedure is will resolve the problem in most cases, but keep in mind that it also nukes any custom shortcuts that you might have previously established. If you’re prepared to take the risks, start by closing Photoshop completely – also, check tour tray-icon to confirm that the software is not still running in the background. It if doesn’t, go to the main Photoshop executable and hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift while double-clicking on the Photoshop shortcut. Keep holding the keys pressed until you see a dialog box asking you whether you want to delete your Settings file. When you see it, click on Yes to get rid of your Adobe Photoshop Settings file. Note: If you’re using a Mac computer, hold Command + Options + Shift. Once the settings file has been deleted, leave your Photoshop to stay Idle and see if the same behavior is still occurring. If the issue is still not resolved, move down to the next method below.
Method 4: Disabling OpenCL /OpenGL
Another potential culprit for this particular issue is situations where OpenCL and/or OpenGL is enabled on low-to-medium PC configurations. Several affected users have reported that they managed to resolve the issue by disabling the two technologies and restarting their computer. Keep in mind that disabling these to performance options will limit the performance of your editing software as you’ll lose certain GPU features such as Scrubby Zoom, HUD Color Picker, Repousse, and several others. But you’ll likely get more stability as a result. After doing so and restarting Photoshop, some users reported that the issue never came back for them. Here’s what you need to do to disable OpenCL and/or OpenGL: If the issue is still not resolved for you, move down to the next method below.
Method 5: Updating Graphic Drivers to the latest versions
Several affected users have reported that the issue was resolved indefinitely and Photoshop stopped acting up even after long periods of time after they reinstalled or updated their GPU card drivers on the affected machine. This is confirmed to be effective on both Windows 7 and Windows 10. In most cases, Photoshop was much more stable while using the built-in driver than it was prior to this operation. However, leaving the built-in drivers can affect your system performance with games and other resource demanding activities. Here’s a quick guide on uninstalling your current GPU drivers and replacing them with the latest version or with the built-in equivalents: If you’re still encountering the same problem, move down to the next method below.
Method 6: Changing the swap drive (scratch disk)
As unlikely as this might seem, several affected users have confirmed that they were able to resolve this issue by changing the default swipe drive to a different drive (or directory). Although there’s no official explanation on why this procedure is effective, it’s likely that this ends up clearing any corruption inside the swap folder, since it will need to be recreated again. Here’s a quick guide on changing the Swap drive for photoshop to a different location: If you’re still dealing with the same problem after idling periods, move down to the next method below.
Method 7: Reinstalling the Photoshop application
As it turns out, this issue might also occur due to file corruption inside the installation folder of Photoshop. Several users that we’re also struggling to resolve this behavior have reported that they finally got a breakthrough after trying to uninstall the software completely and then reinstalling the latest available version based on their license. Here’s a quick guide on uninstalling your current Photoshop version and installing the latest available version:
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