Photoshop 2026 is crashing during Select and Mask and Remove Tool operations on Windows 11. Adobe hasn't released a patch yet, but several workarounds are reducing crashes for affected users.

What's Crashing

Two operations are triggering most of the crashes in Photoshop v27.x:

Select and Mask crashes the full application on some Windows 11 systems, particularly on machines with Nvidia GPUs where the driver hasn't been recently updated.

Remove Tool with generative AI enabled throws "could not complete your request because of a program error" or exits silently. Some users report full system instability after the crash, not just Photoshop going down.

Adobe's known issues page for Photoshop tracks recent desktop stability issues for the 2026 version.

Fixes to Try

Work through these in order. Each step resolves the issue for some users.

1. Update GPU drivers

This is the most common fix. Select and Mask uses GPU acceleration, and stale drivers conflict with Photoshop's AI features. Get the latest driver from your GPU manufacturer directly:

2. Clear the Sensei model cache

Navigate to:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2026\AddOnModules

Delete everything inside the sensei_model_caches folder. Then open Creative Cloud and reinstall Photoshop without removing preferences.

3. Reset Photoshop preferences

Hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift while launching Photoshop 2026. When prompted, choose to delete preferences. This clears corrupted config that can cause tools to fail silently.

4. Run the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool

Adobe's Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool removes leftover files that a standard uninstall misses. Run it, then reinstall Photoshop from Creative Cloud.

5. Roll back to v27.3.1

In the Creative Cloud app, go to Photoshop, click the three-dot menu, select Other Versions, and install 27.3.1. This version has fewer reports of Select and Mask crashes. Use it as a working fallback until Adobe patches the current release.

Adobe's Current Status

As of April 8, 2026, status.adobe.com shows all services green and no active incidents. The April 6 licensing blip is resolved. The Select and Mask crash is a client-side bug, not a service outage. Check the Photoshop fixed issues history for patch notes when Adobe updates the release.

Running Photoshop and Creative Cloud across a team? Rain City Techworks manages software deployments and troubleshooting for businesses in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Get in touch if your team needs help.