Photoshop contains many tools and settings that make it an industry standard image editor. Many of these tools and settings rely on each other in order to function properly, or at all.  Most of the time, unless tampered with, Photoshop will behave correctly and execute any commands you give it. However, to some unforeseen factor, an option that should be in Photoshop is missing. Today on the Brain Wrack, I will show you the steps to take if you find yourself to be in this position.

Please note, if you purchased Photoshop from non-licensed vendors, you may have a bootleg copy of Photoshop; thus, the reason behind the missing functions. Please continue reading after you have confirmed that you have indeed bought Photoshop from a legitimate vendor. Also, make sure that the features included match the edition of Photoshop that you own. Not all Photoshops are created equal.

When deterring if your tools are missing, there is no easy way to find the answer. Often it’s a mix of trial and error. The most notable way to find out, is by installing extra features that make use of the missing tools.  When you download extra features from the internet (like brushes, filters, textures, etc.…), they can be version specific. If you have a hunch that your version of Photoshop is missing something, and you don’t wish to uninstall and reinstall Photoshop. Try downloading external features that rely on that missing property. If your suspicions are correct, you will receive an error message that will say “(X) is not available.”

The first method is to make sure your version of Photoshop is up to date. Anytime there is a problem with Photoshop functions, make sure you know your program version. Personally, receiving an update has fixed many of my problems in the past; so I can’t recommend doing this enough.

Then, the second method is to uninstall and reinstall Photoshop. Maybe a file was accidently skipped in the installation process. If the problem still persists, call Adobe tech support. They will either instruct you on how to fix the feature, or they will replace Photoshop with the proper version.

What sort of Photoshop problems have you encountered?

I’m Nathanael McNutt and I hope I’ve wracked your brains today.

Thanks for reading!