Preferences

For optimum performance of Photoshop Elements, you can configure the Preferences according to your needs and requirements. 

General preferences

Within the Preferences dialog box's General category, you can tailor the UI mode, allow soft notifications, regulate zoom functionality via the scroll wheel, reset preferences, manage warning dialogs, and do more. 

How to switch to Light and Dark mode 

You can change the UI color mode of the application to dark or light from the preferences.

Saving Files

File Saving Options: Set preferences for how files are saved, including default formats and locations.

Save As to Original Folder: You can choose whether the "Save As" dialog defaults to the file's original folder.

File Compatibility: The File Compatibility preferences in Photoshop Elements allow you to control how the software handles different file types, including how it opens, saves, and interacts with other Adobe applications and external files.

Enable the Ignore Camera Data (EXIF) Profiles option in Photoshop Elements to disregard the embedded color profile information in your image file's EXIF data. Instead, Photoshop Elements will use the default color profile set for displaying and editing the image.

Maximize PSD File Compatibility:

• Always: Ensures that the files are fully compatible with other Adobe applications and versions of Photoshop. This option saves a flattened copy of your image along with the layers, increasing file size but improving compatibility.
• Never: Only the layered file is saved without a flattened copy, reducing file size but potentially causing compatibility issues with other applications or older versions.
• Ask: Prompts you each time you save a file whether to maximize compatibility.

Performance

Memory Usage: Allocate memory for Photoshop Elements.

History & Cache: Adjust history states and cache levels for optimal performance.

Use Graphic Processor for improved performance: Enable to utilize the GPU to significantly improve the performance of Photoshop Elements, especially when working with high-resolution images, complex edits, and rendering tasks.

Scratch Disks

Display & Cursors

The Display & Cursors preferences in Photoshop Elements allow you to customize the appearance and behavior of the user interface, including how cursors look and how images are displayed.

• Painting Cursors:
  • Standard: Shows the tool icon (e.g., brush, pencil).
  • Precise: Displays a crosshair cursor for more precise placement.
  • Brush Size: This shows the actual size of the brush tip, which helps visualize the effect of the brush stroke.
• Other Cursor:
  • Standard: Shows the default cursor icon.
  • Precise: Displays a crosshair cursor for tools other than painting, such as selection tools.

Transparency

• Grid Size: Choose the grid size that appears behind transparent areas of an image (None, Small, Medium, or Large).
• Grid Colors: Select the transparency grid colors to better contrast your image and workspace.

Units & Rulers

The Units & Rulers preferences in Photoshop Elements allow you to customize how measurements and rulers are displayed in your workspace.

• Rulers:

  • Inches: Displays rulers in inches, useful for projects where imperial measurements are standard.
  • Pixels: Displays rulers in pixels, ideal for digital and web design projects where precise pixel measurements are important.
  • Centimeters: Displays rulers in centimeters, useful for projects with metric measurements.
  • Millimeters: Displays rulers in millimeters for fine measurements, particularly useful in print design.
  • Points: Displays rulers in points, often used in typography and graphic design.
  • Picas: Displays rulers in picas, a measurement unit often used in print and publishing.

• Type:

  • Pixels: Displays rulers in pixels, ideal for digital and web design projects where precise pixel measurements are essential.
    
  • Points: Displays rulers in points, often used in typography and graphic design.
  • Millimeters: Displays rulers in millimeters for fine measurements, particularly useful in print design.

• Print Size:

  • Inches: Displays rulers in inches, useful for projects where imperial measurements are standard.
  • Centimeters: Displays rulers in centimeters, useful for projects with metric measurements.
    
  • Millimeters: Displays rulers in millimeters for fine measurements, particularly useful in print design.

• Photo Project Units:

  • Inches: Displays rulers in inches, useful for projects where imperial measurements are standard.
  • Centimeters: Displays rulers in centimeters, useful for projects with metric measurements.
    
  • Millimeters: Displays rulers in millimeters for fine measurements, particularly useful in print design.

New Document Preset Resolutions: Allows you to set default resolutions for new documents.

• Print Resolution: This setting defines the resolution for new print documents, typically measured in pixels per inch (ppi). Common resolutions are:
  • 300 ppi: Standard for high-quality print materials, such as brochures, posters, and photographs.

• Screen Resolution: This setting specifies the resolution for new documents intended for on-screen use. It is also measured in pixels per inch (ppi). Typical resolutions include:
  • 72 ppi: Standard for most web and screen display purposes, as it matches the traditional display resolution.

Guides & Grid

The Guides & Grids preferences in Photoshop Elements help you customize the appearance and behavior of guides and grids in your workspace. 

• Guides:
  • Select a Canvas from the dropdown menu or click to choose a custom color.
  • Choose a Style (solid or dashed).
• Grid:
  • Select a Color from the dropdown menu or choose a custom color.
  • Choose a Style (solid or dashed).
  • Set the Gridline Every value and choose the unit (inches, centimeters, pixels, etc.).
  • Define the number of Subdivisions between each primary gridline.

Plug-Ins

Check the Select Additional Plug-Ins Folder box, then select Choose to browse and select the desired folder.

Adobe Partner Services

• Turn Off Notification Pop-Ups: This setting allows you to disable pop-up notifications from Adobe Partner Services. Notifications may include updates, offers, or other messages from Adobe and its partners.

• Turn Off All Notifications: This setting goes further by disabling all notifications from Adobe Partner Services, including pop-ups and other types of alerts.

Application Updates

• Automatically Download and Install Updates: Photoshop Elements can automatically download and install updates without manual intervention.

• Notify Me When Updates Are Available: This setting notifies you whenever an update is available, allowing you to decide when to download and install it.

• Enable "Remind me Later" for updates: This option allows you to be reminded to update the application later, at your convenience. 

Type

The "Type" options in Photoshop Elements' Preferences allow you to customize how text is handled and displayed in your projects. These settings let you control various text rendering and management aspects, ensuring that your text elements appear as intended and are easy to work with.

• Use Smart Quotes: As you type, automatically replace straight quotation marks with typographically correct quotation marks (curly quotes).
• Fill new type layers with placeholder text: This option within the Type Preferences allows you to automatically populate new layers with sample text.
  
• Show Asian Text Options: Enables additional text options for working with Asian languages, such as vertical text.
• Enable Missing Glyph Protection: Ensures that a placeholder character is displayed when a font does not support a specific character, preventing missing characters from being invisible or rendering incorrectly
• Show Font Names in English: This option displays the names of fonts in English, regardless of the language set for the font names.
• Font Preview Size: This setting adjusts the font preview size shown in the font list. This can help you quickly identify and select the desired font by providing a better visual reference. Choose a size (Small, Medium, Large) that suits your preference for viewing font previews. 

Country/Region Selection

Allows you to specify your geographical location. This setting influences various aspects of the software, such as language options, region-specific features, and particular services and content availability.