How to Fix "Photoshop Not Opening" Issue

If Photoshop is not opening, it could be due to a variety of factors, such as software conflicts, corrupted preferences, or hardware issues.

Start by checking the system requirements to ensure that your computer meets the minimum specifications for running Photoshop.

If your system meets the requirements, try restarting your computer, as this can resolve many issues related to temporary system errors or memory overload.

If Photoshop still doesn’t open, it’s possible that the application’s preferences file has become corrupted.

To fix this, reset Photoshop’s preferences.

On Windows, hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift while launching Photoshop, and on macOS, hold Command + Option + Shift.

A dialog box will appear asking if you want to delete the preferences file.

Click Yes to reset it.

If resetting preferences doesn't work, try launching Photoshop in Safe Mode.

To do this, hold the Shift key while starting Photoshop.

This will disable third-party plugins and extensions, which can sometimes cause issues.

If Photoshop still fails to open, try reinstalling it.

Uninstall the application through the Adobe Creative Cloud app, restart your computer, and then reinstall Photoshop.

Make sure that your operating system is up to date and that all drivers, especially graphics card drivers, are updated.

Outdated drivers can interfere with Photoshop’s ability to launch correctly.

Also, check for any available updates for Photoshop itself.

Adobe frequently releases updates that fix bugs and improve performance.

If the issue persists, try disabling any security software temporarily to ensure it’s not blocking Photoshop from launching.

Lastly, check the Event Viewer (on Windows) or Console (on macOS) for any error messages related to Photoshop.

These logs may provide additional clues about the cause of the problem.