Solved | Photoshop colors are grey | Easy Fix

If you are a photoshop user then might come across this problem that suddenly photoshop colors are grey. And how can you fix this problem? In this article, I will share a few tips and tricks to solve this issue.

If this is the first time it has happened to you then it can be a temporary thing. Many users have said they had this problem but it was fixed on its own. However, you can few of these things. 

Before changing anything make sure all the color settings are as default. If you are using CS versions then go to the color settings. And check for the sections that say color management policies and working space. See that all those settings are in default. All the color management policies should be off.

Photoshop colors are grey ? What does it mean?

This problem mainly occurs when you are using the Color picker tool , paint bucket tool or eyedropper tool. Generally, any tool that uses colors from the color panel. You will see only grayscale in color selection panel.

Photoshop is giant software for image editing with lots of features. If you are new to photoshop then it will take some time to get your head around it. Don’t be in a hurry take your time in learning. You can run into these types of problems if you don’t know all the settings. 

These errors can be irritating if you working on some serious stuff. And you see the problems with color. This tutorial works both PC or Mac this tips will work on both machines. Let's see how you can get rid of them

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How to switch photoshop colors from grey

Reopen the software

Just close the application and wait for few seconds and re-open again. From the new file dialog box select the color mode to RGB. And see if it fixed

Reset the settings to default

Try to reset all the settings or preferences to default as the new. You can follow these steps

• Press on the Ctrl+Alt+Shift buttons(Windows) or Shift+Command+Option ( Mac).
• And by keeping those buttons pressed open Photoshop.
• A prompt will open asking if you want to Delete the Photoshop settings.
• Then Click on Yes. And your settings will be new by default.

Clear Temp or cache data

Delete all temporary files in your computer in the temp folder. Well this can rarely effect the colour but it is good to remove all the photoshop files from the temp folder.

Graphics Card Settings

If the overall colour of the PC has change to grayscale then change the settings from Personalize. Check for your computer’s graphics card settings. If you have changed any of your computer color settings prior to the error. Then make sure to use the optimal color settings. And update your drivers of your graphics card.

Upgrade/downgrade the software

If you have recently working in an different version and the color were working normally. And you upgraded photoshop then try to downgrade from the cloud and see if it works. May be the new versions isn't compatible with your PC configuration. Make sure to try everything I mentioned earlier before doing this step.

How to get your photoshop colors back from grey

If the problem still exists then here are a few methods on how you can solve this issue.

• Work with different images or layers momentarily and see if makes any changes to the color panel.
• Use a Black Image or a grayscale one.
• Use a different tool other than the one you were just using. 
• Change RGB modes 

There can be instances where the color modes changes by itself in that case check the mode. If you were working on a greyscale project last time. Then it can be the reason why it is grey. The software seems to remember the recent settings. 

To tackle this situation you set the default template to RGB. So that it always opens the RBG mode every time opens a new file. You can try these few things.

If the image you are working on is in grayscale then it can be due to modes. Just open the image option and click mode and set it to RGB. This should fix the problem.

If you are working with mask modes then sometimes this error happens. In that case, you can press Q and see if resolves the issue. Masks mode can be tricky, I have a hard time when working with mask modes. These are the common reasons for the color picker problem. Also when you are using the color picker tool then choose a different color apart from greyscale colors.

Also Read - 7 Principles to make a personal logo or brand identity 

How do I get out of grayscale in Photoshop?

If you are in a grayscale mode anyhow then you can revert back easily by using the following. Just follow these steps below.

• Select image
• Go to Mode
• In Grayscale 
• Click Discard.

Why is my Photoshop still not showing colors?

If you have tried everything still can’t fix the problem due to any reason. Then you can post it to the official forum page of photoshop and they will be happy to help you out. Tell them about your problem in detail and they will guide you to troubleshoot the error. Additionally, you can ask for help from different graphics design-related discussion boards websites. Then are plenty of users who have countered the same problem. And there are lots of experts on these forums. They will assist you. If you like video tutorials then you can also check Youtube for the solution.

Final Thoughts

I hope this tutorial helped you in some way. Now you can get your photoshop colors from grey. Photoshop is such a huge application it can be tricky sometimes. Once you get used to the software you can easily navigate through these types of error. If you have any questions then don't forget to drop it down the comments.

Peace ✌