Setting preferences

Preferences settings control how Photoshop Elements displays images, cursors, and transparencies, saves files, and uses plug-ins and scratch disks. You set most of these options in the Preferences dialog box from the Edit menu.

If the preferences you set are not behaving as you expect, the preferences file may be damaged. You can restore all preferences to their defaults, then create a new file by setting new preferences.

To open the preferences dialog box:

1. Choose the desired preference set from the Edit > Preferences submenu.
2. To switch to a different preference set, do one of the following:
• Choose the preference set from the Edit > Preferences drop-down menu.
• Choose the preference set from the menu at the top of the dialog box.
• Click Next to display the next preference set in the menu list; click Prev to display the previous preference set.

For information on a specific preference option, search for the preference name in the index.

To restore all preferences to their default settings:

In Windows, press and hold Alt+Control+Shift immediately after launching Photoshop Elements. Click Yes to delete the Adobe Photoshop Elements settings file.

In Mac OS, hold down Option+Command+Shift immediately after launching Photoshop Elements. Click Yes to delete the Adobe Photoshop Elements settings file.

New preferences files are available the next time you start Photoshop Elements.