How to fix ps not responding when opening preferences
To fix Photoshop freezing when opening Preferences, first reset preferences manually by holding Ctrl Alt Shift (Windows) or Cmd Option Shift (Mac) while launching and confirming to delete settings; if that fails, delete PSUserConfig.txt or Preferences.pspref directly from the AppData (Windows) or Library/Preferences (Mac) folder, then restart Photoshop to generate new defaults, which resolves most cases caused by corrupted settings or plugin conflicts.
If Photoshop (PS) freezes or becomes unresponsive when you try to open Preferences, it’s usually due to corrupted settings, plugin conflicts, or system resource issues. Here’s how to fix it step by step:
1. Force Restart Photoshop and Clear Preferences Manually
Since the Preferences window itself causes the freeze, you can’t access it normally. Instead, reset the preferences file manually:
- Close Photoshop completely.
- Hold down Ctrl Alt Shift (Windows) or Cmd Option Shift (Mac) while launching Photoshop.
- A prompt will appear asking if you want to delete the Adobe Photoshop Settings file — click Yes.
This resets preferences to default without launching the Preferences window.
If Photoshop still freezes before the prompt appears, skip to the next section.
2. Delete Preferences File Manually via File Explorer/Finder
If the shortcut doesn’t work, delete the preferences file directly:
On Windows:
- Go to:
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [Version]\Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings
- Look for a file named:
PSUserConfig.txt
orPreferences.pspref
- Rename or delete these files (back them up if unsure).
Tip: Press Win R, type
%appdata%
, and press Enter to quickly access the AppData folder.
On Mac:
- Go to:
~/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings/
- Delete or rename the same files:
PSUserConfig.txt
orPreferences.pspref
Note: The Library folder is hidden on macOS. Press Cmd Shift G in Finder and type
~/Library
to access it.
Relaunch Photoshop — it will generate a fresh preferences file.
3. Check for Problematic Plugins
Plugins can cause Photoshop to hang when loading settings:
- Navigate to the Photoshop Plug-ins folder:
- Windows:
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [Version]\Plug-ins
- Mac:
/Applications/Adobe Photoshop [Version]/Plug-ins
- Windows:
- Temporarily move third-party plugins to another folder (keep only Adobe defaults).
- Restart Photoshop and try opening Preferences.
If it works, reintroduce plugins one by one to find the culprit.
4. Update or Reinstall Photoshop
An outdated or corrupted installation may cause this:
- Open Creative Cloud app.
- Check for updates under the Apps tab.
- If no update is available, try reinstalling Photoshop:
- Uninstall via Creative Cloud.
- Restart your computer.
- Reinstall Photoshop.
5. Free Up System Resources
Photoshop may freeze if your system is low on memory or GPU resources:
- Close other heavy apps (especially browsers with many tabs).
- Check Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) for high CPU/GPU usage.
- Restart your computer before reopening Photoshop.
Also, ensure your GPU drivers are up to date — outdated drivers can interfere with Photoshop’s interface responsiveness.
6. Disable Graphics Processor (Temporarily)
If the Preferences window relies on GPU rendering, a driver issue might freeze it:
- Launch Photoshop in Safe Mode (hold Shift while starting).
- Or, rename the
CUI
file:- Go to
Photoshop Installation/Presets/Themes/
- Rename
DefaultTheme.CUI
toDefaultTheme.CUI.bak
- Go to
- This forces Photoshop to use basic UI rendering.
Most cases are resolved by resetting preferences or removing problematic plugins. Start with resetting the prefs file manually — it’s the most common fix. After that, test Preferences again. If it opens, reconfigure your settings gradually.
Basically, when PS won’t respond opening Preferences, it’s rarely a big issue — just corrupted local data or a rogue plugin. Resetting and isolating the cause usually gets things working again.
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