How to Fix Photoshop Crashes on Launch:- Is Service Host Local System Causing High Disk or CPU Usage? You’re not alone. As a professional designer, or a user of other products, you may know that a sudden crash during startup can be the bane of your work and waste your time. It is a more widespread problem than you’d imagine and typically a result of system conflicts, outdated drivers, and broken preferences.
In this guide we’ll take you through the best steps to get Photoshop opening without crashing, whether you’re on a Windows PC or an Apple Mac. Here’s what to do to get up and running with your Photoshop software again—in no time, and safely.
Why Does Photoshop Crash on Launch?
When Adobe Photoshop crashes immediately after launching, it can be due to various system or software conflicts. Common causes include:
- • Outdated GPU drivers
- • Incompatible plug-ins
- Corrupt preferences
- • Insufficient system resources
- • Faulty installations or updates
Top Fixes for Photoshop Crashing on Launch
Update Your Graphics Card Drivers
- Ensure your (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) drivers are up-to-date.
- Windows: Device Manager, or look in your GPU manufacturer’s website.
- You can use the System Settings to install copies of macOS.
Reset Photoshop Preferences
Corrupt preferences can cause crashes.
Steps:
- Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift (Windows) or Cmd + Option + Shift (Mac) as you open Photoshop.
- Press Yes when the warning screen, about erasing settings, is displayed.
- Note: this also clears your workspace and tool preferences.
Disable Third-Party Plug-ins
Plug-ins often cause startup crashes.
How:
- Go to Photoshop’s plug-in directory:
- C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop\Plug-ins
- Temporarily move 3rd party plug-ins out of another folder one by one.
- Relaunch Photoshop. Launch Photoshop in Safe Mode.
- GPU acceleration is also disabled, and system defaults are returned.
Additional Tips to Prevent Crashes
- Clear the Photoshop cache regularly.
- • Sufficient free space in the disk (the scratch disk in particular will be almost full).
- Don’t run Photoshop along with other memory-hogging apps.
- Launch it as an administrator (Windows) to prevent permission problems.
Need Expert Help?
If you’re still facing issues, it’s best to get direct help from Adobe.
Final Thoughts
It’s maddening when Photoshop starts crashing on launch, but it’s surprisingly easy to fix in most cases. Begin by updating drivers and resetting preferences before progressing to plug-ins, safe mode, etc., if you need to go there. Make sure to always back up your files before making big changes. In this guide you will learn How to Fix Photoshop Crashes on Launch
