Fix: Adobe Photoshop Scratch Disk Full

Nisha GurungBy
adobe-photoshop-scratch-disks-are-full

Adobe Photoshop uses Scratch Disks as a temporary memory for storing your documents and history panels. But, when the disk reaches its storage limit, you will come across “Scratch Disk Full” error messages. As a result, you may have trouble launching the app or loading PSD files.

Usually, these disks can get full over time when you keep opening large image preset files or when the disk cache on your Photoshop is full. Sometimes, stored auto-recovery files can also lead to this error. However, the most effective solution for solving the problem is by optimizing the Scratch disk space.

How to Fix Adobe Photoshop Scratch Disk Full Error?

Scratch Disk Full error message will pop-up when the disks are full and do not have further space to continue using Photoshop. Therefore, the major fixes for solving this problem is mostly by managing your Scratch Disk with minor tweaks in settings.

Besides, you can also manage your device storage to free up some space required to run the application. Below, we have compiled the fixes for Windows and Mac.

Check and Optimize Device Storage

Photoshop recommends having at least 20 GB empty space on your device’s hard drive while using it. So, if your device does not meet the storage requirement, you will encounter Scratch disk full error. You can check your device storage from the settings and optimize them if necessary. You can delete unnecessary temporary files to free up some disk space. 

Here are the steps for it.

On Windows

  1. Enter Windows + I keys for settings.
  2. Click on System > Storage
    Click-on-System-Storage
  3. You can see the available storage space on your device.
  4. Now, Under Storage management, turn on the toggle for Storage Sense. (It will automatically empty space by clearing temporary files)
    turn-on-the-toggle-for-Storage-Sense
  5. Below the Storage Sense, click on the Cleanup Recommendations.
    click-on-the-Cleanup-Recommendations
  6. Expand the Large or unused files, Files synced to the cloud, Unused apps menu
    Expand-the-Large-or-unused-files,-Files-synced-to-the-cloud,-Unused-apps-menu
  7. Click on Clean Up option

On Mac

  1. From the upper-left menu bar, open Apple Menu and choose About This Mac
    choose-About-This-Mac
  2. Hover over Storage tab. Wait until it displays your storage status. 
    Hover-over-Storage-tab
  3. Now, click on Manage button
    click-on-Manage-button
  4. You can see several menus to Optimize Storage. You can choose among them to free up some space on your device. 
    You-can-see-several-menus-to-Optimize-Storage

Empty Scratch Disk Drive Space

Since Photoshop uses your internal hard drive space, the drive which is set as Scratch disk might be full. Or, it might not meet the requirement of scratch disk space for using photoshop. In such a case, you can empty it to solve the issue. You can follow the given steps.

On Windows

  1. On your photoshop, open Edit Menu
  2. Choose Preferences > Scratch Disks
    Choose-Preferences-Scratch-Disks
  3. Now, click on the Disk with the Check Mark and choose OK
    click-on-the-Disk-with-the-Check-Mark-and-choose-OK
  4. Find the Drive in your PC and delete unnecessary files to empty space

On Mac

  1. Open Photoshop
  2. On the top Menu bar, click on Photoshop
  3. Choose Preferences > Scratch Disks
    Choose-Preferences-Scratch-Disks
  4. Now, highlight the Disk with the Check Mark and click on OK
    Now,-highlight-the-disk-with-the-Check-Mark-and-click-on-OK
  5. Locate the Drive in your Mac and delete unessential files to empty space

Add New Scratch Disk 

If emptying the Scratch Disk still does not fix the issue, you might have to add a new drive with maximum space. You can set it from your photoshop Scratch Disk preferences. This should troubleshoot the error. Here are the steps on how to do it.

On Windows

  1. Open Photoshop
  2. Press and hold Ctrl + Alt keys
  3. Select a New drive to add.
    Select-a-New-drive-to-add
  4. Hit OK to confirm
    Hit-OK-to-confirm

On Mac

  1. While you are on Photoshop, enter the Cmd + Option keys
  2. Click to expand the drop-down menu and add a new drive.
  3. Choose OK

Turn Off Auto-recovery Saving

Another way to save space on Scratch disk is by turning off Auto-recovery saving. By disabling it, Photoshop will no longer save temporary files for backup. It should fix the disk’s full error. Check out the steps given below.

On Windows

  1. On Photoshop, open Edit menu
  2. Click on Preferences
  3. On the left panel, Choose File Handling
    On-the-left-panel-Choose-File-Handling
  4. Uncheck the box for Automatically Save Recovery Information and click OK
    Uncheck-the-box-for-Automatically-Save-Recovery-Information and-click-OK

On Mac

  1. Navigate to Photoshop menu at the top
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Click on File Handling
    Click-on-File-Handling
  4. Click on the box to uncheck Automatically Save Recovery Information
    Click on the box to uncheck Automatically Save Recovery Information

Clear Temporary Files

Usually, Photoshop creates temporary files as a backup for restoring the file during sudden app crashes. So, you can also free up your Scratch Disks by clearing them on your device. We recommend deleting all temporary files along with it. Before you begin, quit the photoshop application first. You can check out the steps given below.

On Windows

  1. Hold down Windows + R keys
  2. Type in %temp% and choose OK
    choose-OK
  3. Now, Delete everything inside this folder
    Now-Delete-everything-inside-this-folder

On Mac

  1. Launch Finder
  2. On the top menu bar, click on Go > Go to Folder
    On-the-top-menu-bar-click-on-Go-Go-to-Folder
  3. Enter /tmp in the field and hit Enter.
    Enter-tmp-in-the-field-and-hit-Enter
  4. Select all files and Move everything to Trash
    Select-all-files-and-Move-everything-to-Trash

Purge Memory

You will encounter a Photoshop Scratch Disk Full error when you do not refresh the RAM over time. Therefore, you can purge memory on Photoshop to free up space as well as enhance the performance. It should fix the error as it clears the disk cache and scratch space. You can follow the steps given below.

On Windows

  1. Launch Photoshop
  2. Navigate to Edit icon at the top
  3. Choose Purge > All
    Choose-Purge-and-All

On Mac

  1. Open Photoshop
  2. Click on Edit > Purge
  3. Select All
    Select-All

Reduce History States

The more history you save with a higher preset and pixels, the greater space it takes on the Scratch disk. Thus, you can solve the disk full error by reducing the history states value. 

Find out the steps for it below.

On Windows

  1. Launch Photoshop and go to Edit menu
  2. Select Preferences > Performance
    Select-Preferences-Performance
  3. Locate History & Cache
  4. On History States, set a Lower number
    Choose-a-lower-value-for-History-States
  5. Click OK

On Mac

  1. Open Photoshop
  2. Then, on the Top-menu bar, click on Photoshop > Preferences
  3. Click on Performance
    Click-on-Performance
  4. Choose a lower value for History States
  5. Click OK.

Limit Preset Usage

When you use a large set of presets on your Photoshop like Brush tips or patterns, it takes up a huge space in Scratch Disk. So, you need to limit the use of preset numbers in your file. This can help minimize storage space and solve the error.

Resize Image

When your image resolution is very high on Photoshop, it will use more storage space on your Scratch Disk. Therefore, you can resize the it to a lower resolution. You can hover over the top menu bar and click on Image. Choose Image Size and decrease the size. 

Reset Photoshop Preferences

You might be getting “Scratch Disks are full” errors due to the corrupt preference files. Hence, as a last viable fix, you can restore Photoshop preferences to default settings. Then, you can reconfigure the settings initially. It should help resolve the error.

On Windows

  1. Launch Photoshop
  2. Press Ctrl + K for Preferences
  3. Choose Reset Preferences on Quit
    Choose-Reset-Preferences-on-Quit
  4. Click OK

On Mac

  1. Click on Photoshop menu at the top
  2. Choose Preferences > General
    Choose-Preferences-General
  3. Click on Reset Preferences on Quit button and choose OK
    Click-on-Reset-Preferences-on-Quit-button and-choose-OK

Nisha is a streaming content writer at TechNewsToday. With her love for watching shows on popular platforms, she turned her hobby into exploring it in-depth. You can always find her with one of the streaming gadgets trying out new features, secret menus, and writing about them. She has technological gadgets like Roku streaming stick, Firestick, Chromecast Ultra, Amazon Echo, and many more. Her writing career started when she believed she could help other streaming enthusiasts with her first-hand experience and expertise. She mainly writes about “How-To” and “Fixes” content. Apart from technology, she is a social media enthusiast. She is open to sharing her knowledge and collaborating with other experts in the field. You can contact her at nisha@technewstoday.com

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