Fix Photoshop 'file is locked' error in 3 steps

Photoshop won't start because a settings file is locked. Try deleting it in 30 seconds, or reset preferences. Real cause is usually a crash or sync conflict.

Why this happens

That error usually points to a locked Adobe Photoshop Settings file in your user profile. Either a crash left it in a weird state, or a cloud sync (OneDrive, Dropbox) has it locked. I've seen it on Windows 10 and 11, and occasionally on macOS after a forced quit.

Here's the frustrating part: Photoshop gets picky about permissions on that file, so it refuses to start. The fix is to reset or clear it. Try these in order — most people stop at step 1.

Step 1: The 30-second fix — delete the settings file

Close Photoshop entirely (check the system tray for lingering processes). Then navigate to the settings folder:

%APPDATA%\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2024\

On macOS, it's ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop 2024 Settings/. Look for a file named Adobe Photoshop 2024 Prefs.psp (the version number varies). Rename it to Adobe Photoshop 2024 Prefs.psp.old — don't delete it yet, you might want to roll back.

Launch Photoshop. It will create a fresh settings file, and you're back in business. If that worked, you can delete the .old file later.

Step 2: The 5-minute fix — reset preferences via the keyboard shortcut

If renaming didn't clear the lock, Photoshop might still be reading the old file from memory. Here's the trick that trips up a lot of people: hold Alt+Ctrl+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (macOS) while launching Photoshop. It forces a dialog asking to delete the Adobe Photoshop Settings file.

Click Yes. This wipes all your custom settings, so you'll need to redo your keyboard shortcuts and workspace. Annoying, but it beats the error.

Step 3: The 15+ minute fix — check file permissions and sync conflicts

If you're still stuck, the lock isn't just a stale file—it's an active permission or sync issue.

Windows: Right-click the %APPDATA%\Adobe folder, choose Properties > Security, and make sure your user account has Full control. If not, click Edit and grant it.

macOS: Open Terminal and run:

chmod -R u+rw ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe

Now, the sync culprit. If you're syncing your Documents or AppData to OneDrive or Dropbox, the file might be locked by the sync process. Go to your sync settings and exclude the %APPDATA%\Adobe folder. For OneDrive, pause syncing temporarily and test.

Also, if Photoshop crashed earlier, a background process might still hold the lock. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end any Photoshop.exe or AdobeIPCBroker.exe processes.

Still stuck? Try the nuclear option

If nothing works, uninstall Photoshop using the Creative Cloud app, restart your machine, and reinstall. That clears any stubborn corruption. I know it's a pain, but it's the surefire fix.

Pro tip: After you fix it, turn on "Auto-Save Recovery Information" in Preferences. This prevents future crashes from corrupting your settings file.

You're back to editing in no time. If you hit a different error, drop a comment below — I'll help you sort it out.