Preview Can No Longer Open PSD's?

Question

Level 1

47 points

Preview Can No Longer Open PSD's?

I just got a new iMac 5k with El Capitan, and among other glitches, I've noticed that Preview can no longer open PSD's. I used to be able to just drag a Photoshop document over the Preview icon to get a quick preview of the document without having to actually open in Photoshop. Now I am unable to do this.

As I work with large PSD's a lot (typically 2gb files), I really enjoyed this quick workflow... has anyone else noticed this and found a fix?

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015), OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Oct 30, 2015 3:10 AM

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Answer 1

brenden dv

Community Specialist

Oct 31, 2015 2:20 PM in response to maplevshoney

Hi maplevshoney,

Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities! I'm sorry to hear you are having these issues with your new iMac. I'm sure we can help you figure out this issue, or at least get you pointed in the right direction. According to this document, it appears that Preview in El Capitan should still support PSD files. What are you seeing when you try to open a PSD file in Preview, either via drag & drop or via File > Open... ? Are you seeing any kind of error, alert message, etc? Does this happen with all PSD files, or just certain ones? And does the same thing happen in a new test user?

Thanks

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Answer 2

Oct 31, 2015 2:51 PM in response to maplevshoney

maplevhoney,

I just tested you situation on my iMac late 2009 with El Capitan. I am not experiencing your issue. Preview is opening PSD's just fin and I'm still able to see a preview of a PSD in my finder windows. Unsure what is causing your issue. I tried to locate a 2+ gig PSD to test if it were a size issue, however that created a whole set of other questions for me.

Best of luck

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Answer 3

maplevshoney Author

Level 1

47 points

Nov 1, 2015 5:56 PM in response to brenden dv

Hey Brenden,

Thanks for responding. I didn't realize at first but it isn't just PSDs it is all images. I am able to right-click and then choose to open with Preview, but I am unable to simple drag-and-drop the file over the Preview icon, as I have been able to do in all prior versions of OS X. Please see the attached image to see what I mean:

Thanks!

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Answer 4

maplevshoney Author

Level 1

47 points

Nov 1, 2015 6:03 PM in response to brenden dv

Also, I just made a test user and the same problem persists.

To clarify: the icon is docked in the Finder window toolbar, not the Dock. Seems as though this functionality was broken for Preview in the new El Capitan, but I am still able to do this for Photoshop and Quicktime 7 (these are the only three apps that I keep docked in the finder toolbar).

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Answer 5

brenden dv

Community Specialist

Nov 4, 2015 1:59 PM in response to maplevshoney

Hi maplevshoney,

Ah, ok, that makes a bit more sense; thank you. I'm still a bit unclear on exactly how you have your Finder window arranged for this; is there any way to provide a larger screenshot so I can see specifically which toolbar you are referring to?

Thanks

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Answer 6

maplevshoney Author

Level 1

47 points

Nov 4, 2015 2:31 PM in response to brenden dv

Hey Brenden, here is more context. Thanks.

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Answer 7

brenden dv

Community Specialist

Nov 11, 2015 3:04 PM in response to maplevshoney

Hi maplevshoney,

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you. I apologize if this is a bit of an odd question, but in reference to your last pic, how did you add those application icons to the top tool bar in your Finder window? That doesn't appear to be a standard location, and I'm not finding any normal process for including applications there in El Capitan.

Thanks!

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Answer 8

maplevshoney Author

Level 1

47 points

Nov 12, 2015 6:31 PM in response to brenden dv

Hey Brenden, just hold command, click on the app and drag it into the toolbar. This has been basic OS X functionality for many years. Typically I drag an image over Preview to get a quick preview of the document, but now that functionality seems to be broken.

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Answer 9

Nov 12, 2015 6:42 PM in response to maplevshoney

Have you tried simply selecting the .psd files and then hitting spacebar for a QuickLook, or, possibly doing a right-click > open with > Preview. This should at least let us know if your Mac is recognizing the .psd format at all.

I am using El Capitan and am able to use both of these methods to get quick previews of my .psd files.

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Answer 10

maplevshoney Author

Level 1

47 points

Nov 12, 2015 6:47 PM in response to FishingAddict

Hey Tim, yes I am able to do both of those things (right-click, hit spacebar) with success. But I am unable to drag the image over the icon, which is my preferred method (and as mentioned, part of my workflow for years).

Interesting that it works for you. Just to confirm- you have the Preview icon placed into the menu bar of your Finder window, and you are able to drag image files over it to open them?

And btw, it isn't just PSD's as I originally thought, it is every kind of image. Very frustrating and has been slowing me down.

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Answer 11

Nov 14, 2015 7:37 PM in response to maplevshoney

In El Capitan I can add "Quick Look" icon to the Finder toolbar, but the option to add "Preview" to Finder menu bar is not an available toolbar button to add. So, no, I cannot reproduce your preferred workflow.

I understand that you have an existing workflow but is there any reason that you prefer dragging and dropping files onto an icon instead of just selecting files and then using spacebar for QuickLook or right-click for Preview without the need to drag anything?

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Answer 12

maplevshoney Author

Level 1

47 points

Nov 14, 2015 7:58 PM in response to FishingAddict

Hey Tim,

You don't do this in the "Customize Toolbar" option, you literally just hold command and then click and drag the application icon from your Applications folder into the Finder toolbar. Works with any application and is extremely useful for quickly opening the files you frequently work with.

The reason this is the preferred method is that it shaves off time required to quickly open images in preview. Yes there are other ways, but they are just slower, require more clicking, dialogues, etc. If you take the shortest route to work every day and someone puts up a road block and then says, "can't you just take another street?," how would that make you feel?

HItting spacebar to preview an item is not an alternative to have the image in Preview, for numerous reasons. If you need the image open for a reference while you build another comp, or if you need to quickly see a high resolution image at 100% scale, or if need to quickly toggle/compare multiple images (you used to be able to select them all and then drag them over the icon).

I appreciate your responses, but I don't need to justify why I use a feature of OS X that is no longer working, I merely want to point out that it isn't working any more, and hopefully someone can enlighten me as to how to get it back.

Thanks 🙂

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