Photoshop Settings

Plugins Preferences: Managing Extensions and External Tools

Plugins and Extensions allow you to add extra functionality to Photoshop, but they can also be a major source of startup lag and background memory usage. Optimizing these settings ensures that Photoshop only loads the external tools you actually use.

• Show all Filter Gallery groups and names
• Enable Developer Mode
• Enable Generator
• Enable Remote Connections
• Allow Extensions to Connect to the Internet
• Load Extension Panels

Under the Options Section

• 1. Uncheck “Show all Filter Gallery groups and names” (Simplifies the Filter menu)

When checked, Photoshop expands every single folder in the Filter Gallery by default. If you prefer a cleaner menu and don’t want to scroll through a massive list of filter names every time you open the gallery, keep this unchecked.

Navigation: Edit > Preferences > Plugins > Uncheck "Show all Filter Gallery groups and names"

• 2. Uncheck “Enable Developer Mode” (Unless you are building your own plugins)

This setting is specifically for software developers creating new UXP or CEP plugins. For 99% of users, leaving this enabled adds unnecessary overhead and potential instability. Ensure it is unchecked for a standard professional workflow.

Navigation: Edit > Preferences > Plugins > Uncheck "Enable Developer Mode"

Under the Generator Section

• 3. Uncheck “Enable Generator” (Reduces background CPU usage)

What is Adobe Generator? It is a background process that allows you to automatically export image assets in real-time as you work. While useful for web designers, it runs a “Node.js” process in the background that consumes RAM and CPU. If you don’t use the File > Generate > Image Assets feature, turn this off to make Photoshop run faster.

Navigation: Edit > Preferences > Plugins > Uncheck "Enable Generator"

• 4. Uncheck “Enable Remote Connections” (Security and Performance optimization)

This allows external apps (like mobile apps or secondary computers) to connect to your Photoshop instance over a network. Unless you are specifically using a remote control app or a specialized cross-device workflow, this should be disabled to prevent unauthorized access and save network resources.

Navigation: Edit > Preferences > Plugins > Uncheck "Enable Remote Connections"

Under the Legacy Extensions Section

• 5. Uncheck “Allow Extensions to Connect to the Internet” (Privacy and Speed)

Many older extensions try to “call home” to check for updates or load external web content. This can cause Photoshop to hang or lag during startup while it waits for a server response. If your plugins work fine offline, unchecking this will result in a more stable experience.

Navigation: Edit > Preferences > Plugins > Uncheck "Allow Extensions to Connect to the Internet"

• 6. Check “Load Extension Panels” (Ensures your installed tools actually appear)

If you have installed third-party panels (like retouching bundles or color grade wheels) and they aren’t appearing under Window > Extensions, it is likely because this box is unchecked. Keep this enabled if you rely on any third-party panels.

Navigation: Edit > Preferences > Plugins > Check "Load Extension Panels"

Troubleshooting Plugins

Why is Photoshop taking so long to start up? Photoshop scans your plugins folder every time it launches. If you have many old or “Legacy” extensions, the startup process can take minutes. If you aren’t using a plugin, consider moving it out of the C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [Version]\Plug-ins folder to a backup location to drastically speed up your launch time.