How do I fix lag when drawing in Photoshop?
Optimize Photoshop Settings
Go to Edit > Preferences > Performance. Increase the RAM allocated to Photoshop (leave some for the OS). Under Graphics Processor Settings, ensure 'Use Graphics Processor' is checked. If lag persists, try disabling 'Use OpenCL' or switching to 'Advanced' drawing mode.
Reduce brush smoothing: in the Brush Settings, lower the 'Smoothing' percentage. High smoothing can cause a delay. Also, turn off 'Use Graphics Processor' temporarily to see if that helps; sometimes it causes issues with certain GPUs.
- Allocate more RAM to Photoshop.
- Enable or disable GPU acceleration as needed.
- Lower brush smoothing.
- Reduce document resolution or size.
- Close other applications.
Document and Hardware Tweaks
Large canvases with many layers can cause lag. Try merging layers or flattening the image if you don't need them. Reduce the canvas size if possible. Also, check your brush size—very large brushes (e.g., 500px+) can lag, especially with texture.
Update your graphics driver from the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel). If you're on a laptop, ensure it's plugged in and set to high performance mode. A tablet with a high report rate can also help; some older tablets may introduce lag.
Common mistakes
- Assuming lag is always Photoshop's fault; it could be a slow computer or outdated drivers.
- Using a huge brush with complex texture on a large canvas, which strains the CPU/GPU.
- Ignoring the 'Scratch Disks' setting; if your main drive is full, Photoshop slows down.
