Photoshop not letting me use certain filters. :-/ Help.

[templest]

Photoshop isn't letting me use some filters, and I have no idea why. I'm trying to use the "Distort" filter, but it won't let me (disabled), and there are all the other ones like that. Only Blur, Sharpen, Noise, and Stylize work, nothing else. wtf? Hoe do I enable these?

[Tony]

make sure that your workarea is in RGB format.

Image -> Mode -> RGB color

some filters don't work with other color modes

[Amailer]

Also some filters don't work on a Background (lock) layer. But mainly what Tony said... it happnes to me when i edit other pictures-- anoying

[Paul]

One thing I sometimes do is mistakenly open imageready... and of course lots of tools are disabled... stupid I know.

[templest]

Nope, still won't let me use them.

[Tony]

post your photoshop file

[Amailer]

templest wrote:

Nope, still won't let me use them.

For any new file you make?
See that when your making a new file the mode is not Bitmap, CMYK or Lab color.

[eNc]

I know it may sound dumb but, do you have stuff on the layer ? if it still doesn't work i think you should "aquire" a new copy of it.

[myob]

make sure ur layer is not locked

[Amailer]

myob wrote:

make sure ur layer is not locked

That wouldn't cause the problem which he was having, that would simply not allow you to edit the layer

[eNc]

Amailer wrote:

myob wrote:

make sure ur layer is not locked

That wouldn't cause the problem which he was having, that would simply not allow you to edit the layer

i agree

[LnC22]

I've been having the same problem, and then I experimented with it and I think I have found a solution.

If you have been creating 16 bit images, like me, I went to Image>Mode>8-bit, and then all of my filters worked.

[Petermulti]

templest @ 24th August, 21:34 wrote:

Photoshop isn't letting me use some filters, and I have no idea why. I'm trying to use the "Distort" filter, but it won't let me (disabled), and there are all the other ones like that. Only Blur, Sharpen, Noise, and Stylize work, nothing else. wtf? Hoe do I enable these?

Sometimes photoshop won't let you use certain filters if the document is too big. Try to create a new smaller document, and see if it works there. If so, then drag the layer on wich you want to use the filter to this new document. Apply the filter, and drag it back again. Not very smart, but it works.