Plugin crashes and errors in Adobe Photoshop

Plugins extend Photoshop's capabilities by adding filters, effects, and specialized tools. When plugins malfunction due to compatibility issues or installation problems, they can disrupt your entire workflow.

You may notice Photoshop crashing during launch or while working, blank dialog boxes appearing when you select filter effects, error messages stating a plugin "does not work with this version of Photoshop," missing file format options in save dialogs, or noticeably slow performance throughout the application. On macOS 10.15 and later, you might see system warnings that a plugin "cannot be opened because its integrity cannot be verified."

The following solutions address the most common plugin problems, starting with the quickest fixes:

The installed plugins were designed for an older Photoshop version and need to be updated to work with your current release.

1. Visit your plugin manufacturer's website to check for the latest version
2. Download the updated plugin installer from the official source
3. Close Photoshop completely before running the installer
4. Run the manufacturer's installer to update the plugin
5. Restart Photoshop and test the plugin functionality

If updating doesn't resolve the issue, you may need to identify which specific plugin is causing problems:

One of your installed plugins is incompatible or damaged, but you don't know which one is causing the problem.

1. Close Photoshop completely
2. Hold Shift while launching Photoshop
3. Select Yes when prompted to skip loading optional and third-party plugins
4. Test whether your issue still occurs
5. If the issue disappears, move plugins one at a time from the Plugins folder to a temporary folder on your desktop, restarting Photoshop after each removal to identify the problematic plugin
6. Once identified, permanently remove the problematic plugin and contact the publisher for an updated version

On macOS 10.15 and later, system security features can prevent plugins from loading:

The plugin was downloaded from the web without proper notarization, causing macOS to quarantine the file and block Photoshop from loading it.

1. Contact your plugin manufacturer to obtain an updated, notarized version for macOS 10.15 and later
2. Download and install the notarized plugin using the manufacturer's installer
3. Restart Photoshop to load the updated plugin

When you've identified a problematic plugin that cannot be updated, remove it from Photoshop:

A plugin is causing issues, and no compatible update from the manufacturer is available.

1. Locate the plugin file or folder in your Photoshop Plugins directory
2. Move the plugin to a folder outside the Plugins directory, such as a new folder on your desktop
3. Alternatively, rename the plugin file by adding a tilde (~) at the beginning of the filename
4. Restart Photoshop to confirm the issue is resolved

Plugin folder locations

Plugins may be installed in version-specific folders (affecting only one Photoshop version) or shared Creative Cloud folders (available across all versions):

Version-specific location (macOS):
/Applications/Adobe Photoshop /Plug-ins

Version-specific location (Windows):
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop \Plug-ins

Shared Creative Cloud location (macOS):
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-Ins/CC

Shared Creative Cloud location (Windows):
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC

Additional considerations

Current versions of Photoshop do not support 32-bit plugins. Contact your plugin vendor for 64-bit versions.

If you manage plugins through the Creative Cloud desktop app, check for updates by selecting Stock & Marketplace > Manage Plugins.

If these solutions don't resolve your issue, additional troubleshooting may be required. For general Photoshop crashes unrelated to plugins, see Troubleshoot crash or freeze in Photoshop. For Camera Raw-specific issues, see Camera Raw plugin installer.