Resolved - Photoshop Not Opening PSD File

Updated on May 12, 2022

Unable to open your PSD file on Photoshop? This issue might occur due to a PSD file being incompatible with the Photoshop version or due to other various reasons. In case the PSD file is corrupt, use the Remo Repair PSD tool to fix the corrupted PSD file. This tool is built with a powerful repair algorithm that can fix your Corrupt PSD & PDD in a hassle free way.

Adobe Photoshop is a widely used photo editing tool by graphic artists, web developers, etc. You might have created PSD files by working hard, later you would have realised that Photoshop is not opening that PSD file. There are various reasons for this to happen. Here are few messages you may be prompted with while opening a PSD file in Photoshop.

When you try to open any PSD file in Adobe Photoshop, you may be promoted with the following error messages:

  • Photoshop cannot open files in the .psd file format.
  • The document filename.psd could not be opened. Photoshop cannot open file in the Adobe Photoshop file format
  • Photoshop cannot open files in the Adobe Photoshop JPEG file format
  • PSD not a valid Photoshop document

These errors usually occur when Windows OS launch services database in a temporary bad state because the file associations are not cached, or an image file have become corrupt. There are many reasons behind the corruption of the PSD image file. Let's have a look at the common reasons behind the corruption of the PSD files

Reasons Behind the Error “Can't Open PSD Because it is not a Valid Photoshop Document”

  • Opening PSD files on incompatible Photoshop version
  • Interruptions while transferring PSD files
  • Editing PSD file directly from removable drives
  • Frequently changing the file extension of PSD files
  • Repairing or working on PSD file using untrusted tools
  • Photoshop won’t open PSD file due to incompatible or modified PSD file

Solution For PSD File Is Not Opening In Photoshop

Fix 1: Try Reopening the PSD file

If the PSD file is not opening in Photoshop then wait for sometime and re-open the PSD file. If still unable to open then quit the Photoshop application and re-open the application. Now try to open the PSD file, if the problem still persists then move to the next section of the article.

Fix 2: Re-install Adobe Photoshop Application

If the above fix was not so effective, then it might be an issue with the Photoshop application itself. Try re-installing the Adobe Photoshop application and see if you are able to open the PSD file. If the problem still persists then move to the next section of the article.

Fix 3: Check Open/GL Display To Fix PSD File Not Opening

  • Go to Photoshop > Edit > Preferences > Performance > Now, a window will open: Uncheck Enable OpenGL Display and click OK.
  • Now close and restart Photoshop
  • Go to the same preference and now enable the OpenGL Display
  • Close and restart the Photoshop application

Fix 4: Check if the GPU Driver is Corrupted/Old

A GPU is a graphic driver that communicates between the OS and the application and graphic card. The error “PSD file not opening in Photoshop” arises if the driver for your graphic card may be outdated or corrupt in such cases you should uninstall it and reinstall the latest version of the driver.

This should have fixed any simple issue or bugs which was preventing the Photoshop application from opening the PSD file. However, if your Photoshop file is damaged or corrupted, then fixing the damaged PSD file using a PSD repair tool is the most effective solution. Remo Repair PSD is one such tool that scans your PSD file and fixes all issues to render a healthy PSD file that opens without any hassle.

Remo PSD Repair Tool To Fix PSD File Not Opening in Photoshop

Remo PSD repair tool is a non-destructive PSD repair utility which will not modify your original Photoshop file while fixing it. Instead, the software will extract the content from the corrupt PSD file and generate a new healthy PSD file with all its attributes intact. In addition, it even helps in repairing corrupted PDD files while preserving its color mode such as indexed color, CMYK color, Bitmap, RGB, etc.

Steps to Fix PSD File That is Not Opening in Photoshop:


Download and install Remo Repair PSD tool on your Windows computer to fix PSD files. The software is compatible to run on all latest versions of Windows OS including Windows 11. Here is the detailed guide:

Step 1: Launch Remo Repair PSD and click on Browse to select the PSD file that Photoshop won open, then click on Repair button.

Browse the location of Photoshop won't open PSD file and hit Repair

Step 2: The tool automatically fixes all the issues in the selected PSD file which you can view via progress bar.

View repairing progress

Step 3: After PSD file repair process gets over, click on Preview to see the repaired .psd image file.

 Click Preview button to see the fixed PSD file

Step 4: Browse the desired location of your choice and click Save to save the fixed PSD file back to your computer.

 Save repaired PSD image file

Whatever may be the cause for not opening Photoshop files (PSD/PDD), you can easily fix those issues using Remo Repair PSD tool. The software does all hard scanning and Photoshop file fixing process to give you a healthy PSD image. It provides 24x7 technical support for free to resolve any problem that you may face during installing the app or fixing PSD file.

Precautions to Be Taken:

  • Before shutting down your computer make sure that all applications are closed
  • Regularly update your Adobe Photoshop tool to avoid application malfunctioning
  • Always have backup of your important Photoshop files