This guide will show you the easiest ways to resolve black-and-white strobes that occur when opening files in Photoshop.
I’ve been using Adobe Photoshop for many years and have occasionally opened Photoshop to find it has strobing lights.
If you encounter black-and-white strobes when using Photoshop, it can be confusing. Luckily, fixing it is simple: buckle up, and we’ll show you how.
Let’s dive into the tutorial.
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How to Fix Strobes in Black and White when Opening Photoshop Files
If you’ve ever opened a file in Photoshop only to find that it’s flickering between black and white lights, this tutorial is for you.
You might like the disco effect that Photoshop has brought to you, or you might find it annoying and distracting,
Whether you like it or not, it will be difficult to concentrate and work while Photoshop flashes wildly at you.
The good news is you can resolve this issue quickly in a few simple steps.
Let’s take a look.
Solution 1 – How Old Is Your Computer?
Now, I hate to break it to you, but the age of your computer could affect how well your Photoshop software operates.
Photoshop could be flickering because it can’t communicate effectively with your computer due to an outdated processor or graphics card.
Photoshop is a powerful software program that regularly updates graphics to improve performance and create smoother visuals.
If your processor is outdated, it won’t have the capacity to process Photoshops visuals, and thus the flickering disco strobes will appear.
However, the good news is that if you don’t have the time or money to update your device, we have a trick you can use to outsmart Photoshop.
You simply need to change Photoshop’s Preference settings so that it knows it’s working with an older device.
Head to the top menu bar and select Photoshop. A drop-down menu will appear; scroll down to Preferences.
Click on Preferences, and select Technology Previews from the menu that pops out.
The Technology Previews dialogue box will open. Tick the last option in the list – Older GPU Mode (Pre 2016).
Once you’ve ticked the box beside Older GPU Mode (Pre 2016), hit OK.
Now that you’ve changed Photoshop’s Preference settings, the graphics will be altered to suit an older device.
The next step is to shut down Photoshop and then reopen it.
When you reopen Photoshop, the strobing lights should have disappeared.
Solution 2 – Update to Photoshop 24.5 or Later
Another reason Photoshop might randomly flash black and white is that it needs to be updated to the latest version.
Check which version of Photoshop you are using. If the version you have predates 24.5, updating it could end the strobing.
To update your version of Photoshop, first make sure you are connected to the internet.
Head to Help in the top menu bar and select Updates from the drop-down menu. Creative Cloud will open its software update page.
If Photoshop needs to be updated, it will be displayed on the page with an Update button.
Click the Update button beside Photoshop to update it.
When Photoshop is updated, the flashing lights will disappear.
Solution 3 – Disable the Graphics Processor
Another solution to remove Photoshop’s distracting flashing is to disable the graphics processor.
To do this, head to the top menu bar and click Photoshop. A drop-down menu will appear. Select Preferences > Performance.
The Performance dialogue window will open. Simply untick Use Graphics Processor.
By doing this, you are forcing Photoshop to use the software rendering instead of the computer’s graphics processor.
Using software rendering instead of a graphics processor can slow Photoshop’s editing capacity.
When I used this option to resolve strobing lights in the past, I had to wait for Photoshop to complete some tasks.
This means it’s not a long-term solution, but in the short run, it allows you to use Photoshop until you update your device.
Solution 4 – Update Your Hardware and Software
If none of the above solutions have worked and you have an older computer, you could consider updating your device.
But before doing this, I would suggest contacting Photoshop’s Helpdesk.
Adobe are incredibly helpful when there’s an issue with their software. When you contact them, they will help resolve the issue.
I hope this tutorial has helped you and that one of the above solutions has fixed Photoshop’s impromptu disco-strobing.
If you liked this tutorial and want to learn more about Photoshop, you can check out – How to Use the Content-Aware Move Tool in Photoshop.
FAQ
Why is my Photoshop file flashing black and white?
When your file flashes black and white in Photoshop, several factors can cause it, such as older graphics cards or outdated software.
Changing Photoshop’s preferences will resolve the issue if it’s due to an older graphics card.
Click Photoshop in the top menu bar, and from the drop-down menu, select Preferences > Technology Previews.
When the dialogue window opens, untick the box beside Disable Native Canvas.
Close Photoshop and restart, and the problem should be resolved.
Why is my Photoshop flashing when I open a file?
Older graphics cards can be the reason Photoshop flashes when opening.
Some older graphics cards fail to support Directx 12.
To resolve the problem, update your device or graphics card.
When I open an image in Photoshop, it flashes white.
Disabling the graphics processor is one way to resolve the problem of an image flashing white when it opens in Photoshop.
Head to the top menu bar and click on Photoshop. From the drop-down menu, select Preferences > Performance.
The Performance dialogue window will pop up. Untick the box beside Use Graphics Processor.
How do I stop Photoshop from flickering?
To stop Photoshop from flickering, you need to know why it is flickering.
If Photoshop is flickering due to an outdated graphics card, updating the card will fix the problem.
If the reason Photoshop is flickering is because of its graphics processor, you can disable Photoshop’s reliance on the graphics processor.
