Start with a small, reversible check
Save work if possible, preserve the original document, and record the app version and the exact action that failed. Try a small local PNG in a new session. If that works but one PSD fails, investigate the file separately; if no image opens, focus first on installation or the rendering environment.
The suggestions below are diagnostic steps, not guaranteed fixes. Version-specific issues change quickly. Search the official issue tracker for your error before applying an old workaround.
The app will not start or immediately exits
- Confirm that the package matches the operating system and architecture.
- Check that a portable archive was fully extracted.
- Compare the checksum and read the release notes.
- Record the exact system warning. If comfortable with the terminal, launch the app there and capture its output.
- If the message refers to graphics initialization, record the GPU model and driver version; use supported driver updates from the OS or hardware vendor.
A blank window, a blocked installer and an unsupported binary are different problems. Keep the original error text in your report.
Blank canvas or an unexpectedly different image
Check whether the intended document tab and layer are selected. Check layer visibility, opacity and zoom. Try a small image with a single layer. If only a complex project differs, use the PSD compatibility checklist rather than changing many settings at once.
For a rendering report, include a screenshot, GPU/driver information, document size and whether the problem also occurs in a new document.
Files will not open by dragging on Linux
Upstream documents a limitation with Wayland drag and drop. Use File → Open to distinguish this from a file decoder problem. Include Wayland or X11 in the environment section of a report.
Text looks different or glyphs are missing
Check the document’s font names against fonts available on your computer. Try a known installed font in a new text layer. Compare text input with rendering: being unable to type a character is a different issue from a missing glyph in an existing layer.
Include font family, app language, operating system and a short sample string. Do not assume switching the site language changes the editor’s interface or installed fonts.
Saving or exporting fails
- Use a new filename in a writable local folder.
- Check available disk space and the chosen output format.
- Try a small new document to see whether the failure is file-specific.
- Keep the editable project separate from the final exported image.
- After an apparent success, reopen the file and inspect it before replacing any original.
Some outputs flatten layers or cannot preserve transparency. A successful export does not mean the format can store all editable content.
A bug report the maintainers can use
PhotoCraft version:
Operating system / architecture:
Package filename:
GPU / driver (if relevant):
Document size / layer count / color mode:
Steps to reproduce:
Expected result:
Actual result / exact error:
Does a new small document also fail?
Screenshot or redacted sample:Search existing issues first, then add the minimal reproduction to the appropriate issue or create a new one. Remove private information from logs and documents.
Sources & scope
Written from official documentation and editorial guidance. Not an exhaustive compatibility test. Menu names and behavior can change between releases.