Fix Adobe Photoshop lag, freezing, and slow performance

Learn how to fix lag, freezing, and slow performance in Adobe Photoshop by checking preferences, graphics processor settings, and system resources.

Performance issues in Photoshop can result from preferences, graphics processor settings, plug-ins, system resources, connected devices, or files stored on network drives.

You may experience Photoshop freezing at launch, tools responding slowly, long launch times, delays when saving or exporting, interface lag when zooming or panning, or Photoshop becoming unresponsive during routine tasks.

Corrupted Photoshop preferences

Cause

Corrupted or misconfigured preferences can cause widespread performance problems.

Remedy

1. Close Photoshop.
2. Press Alt + Ctrl + Shift (Windows) or Option + Command + Shift (macOS) while launching Photoshop.
3. Select Yes when prompted to delete the Adobe Photoshop Settings file.
4. Restart Photoshop and test your typical workflow.

If performance improves, the previous preferences were likely contributing to the issue. You can also adjust Photoshop preferences to customize settings again.

Graphics processor settings cause performance problems

Cause

Graphics processor settings, an outdated GPU driver, or a GPU configuration conflict can cause lag or freezing.

Remedy

1. Open Edit > Preferences > Performance on Windows, or Photoshop > Settings > Performance on macOS.
2. Clear Use Graphics Processor to test whether the GPU is causing the problem.
3. Restart Photoshop and test the same workflow.
4. If performance improves, update the graphics driver from the manufacturer's website.
5. After updating the driver, select Use Graphics Processor and restart Photoshop to test the updated configuration.

If the problem continues, use GPU troubleshooting steps to narrow down the cause.

Third-party plug-ins cause performance problems

Cause

Third-party plug-ins can conflict with Photoshop, delay startup, or affect performance during editing.

Remedy

1. Close Photoshop.
2. Press and hold Shift while launching Photoshop.
3. Continue holding Shift until Photoshop opens.
4. Test the workflow without optional and third-party plug-ins.
5. If performance improves, identify the problematic plug-in by testing plug-ins individually.

Use Photoshop plug-ins troubleshooting for additional plug-in troubleshooting.

Photoshop does not have enough available memory

Cause

A low Photoshop memory allocation can cause slower processing and greater reliance on scratch disk space.

Remedy

1. Open Edit > Preferences > Performance on Windows, or Photoshop > Settings > Performance on macOS.
2. In Memory Usage, increase Let Photoshop Use in 5% increments.
3. Monitor the Efficiency indicator as you test performance.
4. Keep the allocation at 85% or lower to leave memory available for the operating system and other applications.
5. Restart Photoshop and test the same workflow.

Cache settings do not match your workflow

Cause

Cache settings that do not match document size and editing activity can affect responsiveness.

Remedy

1. Open Edit > Preferences > Performance on Windows, or Photoshop > Settings > Performance on macOS.
2. Under Cache Settings or History & Cache, choose a preset that matches your workflow.
3. Use Web/UI Design for web and user interface work, Default/Photos for general photo editing, or Huge Pixel Dimensions for very large documents.
4. Restart Photoshop and test performance.

For additional guidance, use Optimize Photoshop performance.

External devices cause performance problems

Cause

External devices or their drivers can conflict with Photoshop or affect system resources.

Remedy

1. Close Photoshop.
2. Disconnect external devices except the keyboard and mouse.
3. Launch Photoshop and test performance.
4. If performance improves, reconnect devices one at a time.
5. Update the driver for any device that causes the problem.
6. For gaming mice with high polling rates, set the polling rate to 125 Hz in the device settings.

Background applications use system resources

Cause

Antivirus software, backup utilities, and other background processes can use CPU and memory that Photoshop needs.

Remedy

1. Temporarily pause antivirus protection or add Photoshop to its exclusion list.
2. Temporarily pause automatic backup software during active editing sessions.
3. Use Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on macOS to identify resource-intensive processes.
4. Close unnecessary background processes and test Photoshop.
5. Restore antivirus protection immediately after testing.

Photoshop uses the wrong graphics processor

Cause

On systems with multiple graphics processors, Photoshop can use a lower-power GPU instead of the high-performance GPU.

Remedy

1. On Windows, open Settings > System > Display > Graphics and add Photoshop if needed.
2. Set Photoshop to High Performance in Windows graphics settings.
3. On supported Intel-based Macs, open System Settings > Battery > Options and clear Automatic graphics switching if the option is available.
4. Restart the computer and test Photoshop.

Apple Silicon Macs manage graphics differently, so the automatic graphics switching option may not be available.

Network drives slow file access

Cause

Network latency and bandwidth limitations can slow file access, saving, and editing operations.

Remedy

1. Copy the file from the network drive to a local drive.
2. Edit the file locally in Photoshop.
3. Save the completed file locally.
4. Upload the final file to the network drive.

Adobe Technical Support provides troubleshooting for Photoshop issues with files stored on local hard disks.

High-resolution displays slow interface rendering

Cause

High-resolution displays can increase graphics and rendering demands in some configurations.

Remedy

1. On Windows, open Settings > System > Display and review the display resolution and scaling.
2. Temporarily choose a lower display resolution or scaling level.
3. On macOS, open System Settings > Displays and choose a lower resolution.
4. Test Photoshop performance at the lower resolution.
5. If performance improves, check the graphics driver and system requirements.

The computer does not meet current system requirements

Cause

Hardware that does not meet current Photoshop requirements can limit performance, especially with large or complex documents.

Remedy

1. Check the current Photoshop technical requirements for your operating system and Photoshop version.
2. Update Photoshop and your operating system when compatible updates are available.
3. Use at least 8GB of RAM; Adobe recommends 16GB or more for current Photoshop desktop versions.
4. Use a fast internal SSD for Photoshop and scratch disk storage when possible.
5. If the problem continues after these checks, contact Adobe Support.