Photoshop 26.10 was released in August 2025. Although it wasn't a major overhaul, it brought intelligent features that made life easier - especially when designing shapes like stars, polygons, or using tools that were once picky.
This is the biggest 'I can't believe this is no longer a thing' feature.
Photoshop 26.10 introduced a dedicated star tool in the "Shape" tool group of the "Tools" panel. Previously, star shapes were created using alternative methods such as polygon tools or pen tools.
Using the star shaped tool, you can directly draw star shaped polygons on the canvas by clicking and dragging.
The contextual taskbar (i.e. the bar that appears when the tool is active) allows for real-time adjustment of key parameters: point count, inner and outer radius (how deep the star shaped "valley" is), and then setting style options such as fill and stroke color.
This actually means that you can create a perfect star shape without switching tools, introducing ruler guides, or later transforming the shape. It saves time, keeps vector work neat, and reduces headaches when exporting or aligning shapes.
Other enhancements and fixes
In addition to the Star tool, version 26.10 also brings several bug fixes and workflow improvements. Not everything is flashy, but if you feel frustrated with quirks, you will notice many of these things.
Who will benefit the most from this update
Use shapes, logos, or graphic designers who require precise stars in illustrations. The new Star tool will reduce the complexity of the workflow.
UI/UX designers who directly reuse or adjust shapes (for icon sets, badges, etc.). Bending fills, strokes, and radii without leaving the shape tool is a victory.
Artists who often require vector shapes for synthesis, motion graphics, or pattern creation. More control, less conversion.
If you mainly do photo retouching or pixel work, updates will not change your daily life except for improving stability and reducing errors.
How to start using the Star tool
Here is a quick checklist to try immediately:
Update Photoshop to version 26.10 through Creative Cloud.
Select the "Shape" tool group → Find a new star shape. If you cannot see it, please check the tools hidden under the "Polygon" or "Custom Shape" tools.
Click and drag on the canvas → the contextual taskbar appears. Play with "points", inner/outer radius sliders, strokes and fillings.
After placing the star shape, you can still adjust the inner/outer radius through shape properties (in the Properties panel) or handles.
If you encounter errors (such as gradients or layer names), please check for updated patches - Adobe has fixed these patches in 26.10.
Photoshop 26.10 introduces some great features, but users have noticed some areas that require more attention. A recurring complaint is that zooming in and out quickly feels a bit "stressful". This is not a deal breaker, but it does interrupt the originally delicate workflow.
The performance on very large files, such as projects with over a hundred layers or high-resolution panoramas, still largely depends on hardware performance. In other words, if your machine is struggling, this update won't magically solve all problems.
Finally, although the new star shaped tool is convenient, it will not replace more advanced options such as curvature pens or custom shape tools. If you need stars with unusual spikes or organic, uneven edges, you still need to rely on these traditional methods.
As someone who has manually drawn too many jumping heart-shaped stars and custom polygons, Photoshop 26.10 has reached the best level of being useful without overcorrecting. Star tool is simple but powerful; These bug fixes are small but meaningful. If you update, adjust some shapes, test new gradients, and see how little friction you feel in daily shape/illustration tasks.
