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| Slow Photoshop? Fix It Fast with These Easy Tips | Quick Patch |
There can be a few reasons why Photoshop might be lagging on your computer. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and improve its performance:
System Requirements Check:
- Make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements for your version of Photoshop. You can find these on the Adobe website
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/system-requirements.html . - If your system doesn't meet the requirements, consider upgrading your hardware, especially RAM and a good graphics card.
Basic Checks:
- Close Unused Programs: Close any unnecessary programs running in the background that might be consuming resources. This will free up RAM for Photoshop.
- Restart Your Computer: A simple restart can often clear temporary files and resolve performance issues.
Software and Settings:
- Update Photoshop: Ensure you're using the latest version of Photoshop. Updates often include performance improvements and bug fixes.
- Adjust Performance Preferences: Within Photoshop, go to Edit > Preferences > Performance (on Mac) or Edit > Preferences > Performance (on Windows).
- Allocate more RAM (80-85%) for Photoshop use.
- Ensure "Use Graphics Processor" is enabled. You can also play with the Drawing Mode settings here (Basic is a good option for troubleshooting).
- Adjust the cache levels based on your typical file sizes (higher for large files).
Other Potential Issues:
- Corrupted Files: Outdated or corrupted color profiles or preset files can cause slowdowns. Try updating your graphics card drivers and consider resetting Photoshop preferences (consult Adobe support for instructions).
- Large/Complex Files: Working with very large or complex files with many layers can naturally slow down Photoshop. Consider flattening layers or working on smaller sections at a time.
- Insufficient Hard Drive Space: Low hard drive space can also impact performance. Aim for at least 20% free space.
Advanced Tips:
- Gaming Mouse Polling Rate: If you're using a gaming mouse with a high polling rate, try lowering it to 125Hz in the device driver settings.
By following these steps, you should be able to identify the bottleneck causing Photoshop to lag and take steps to improve its performance.