9.0.4 (Preview Issue, Preview Window Issue, Save all Output Issue)
Posted: 08.08.2026 19:54
Has anyone else noticed these issues with Helicon Focus 9.0.4? I am using a Mac M2 Max computer fully updated to current OS>
I’m curious if anyone else is experiencing a few issues I’ve noticed since updating to Helicon Focus 9.0.4 for Mac. I don’t remember having these problems with Helicon Focus 8.
1. Preview hangs when changing Radius or Smoothing
When using Preview, if I change Radius or Smoothing one increment at a time and wait for the preview to finish rendering before making another change, everything seems to work normally.
However, if I click several times quickly to move through multiple values, or drag the slider directly to the value I want, the preview sometimes hangs and never renders the new image. At that point I have to back out and start again, changing the setting one increment at a time and waiting for each preview to render.
I don’t remember needing to do this in version 8.
2. “Save All” doesn't appear to save an image created by stacking outputs
One feature I really like in 9.0.4 is being able to take two or more output images and stack those outputs again without first saving them and importing them back into Helicon Focus.
The problem comes when I use **Save All** afterward.
For example, if I have two normal output images plus a third image that was created by stacking those two outputs, Helicon reports that all three files were saved. However, only the first two appear in my designated output subfolder. The image created from the outputs is nowhere to be found.
If I select that image and click the Save icon, it appears to save, but I still can't find where it was saved. The only reliable way I’ve found to save it is to go to **File > Save** and manually choose the location.
Am I missing something here, or is anyone else seeing the same behavior?
3. Black Preview window when Helicon is actively stacking the images.
I reported this issue to Helicon Support about a month ago (7/11/26) via "support"involving the Preview window failing to build the preview and displaying a black window instead. Support responded that they were able to reproduce the problem and were going to investigate it. I mean in the end the image is stacked, I just enjoy watching the process more so when I am using method C and watch it build as well as doing some short videos with that going on, now just a black screen. I made a video on this but it is set to private for now. I gave them my files, they reproduced the issue, told me they are looking into it and closed the ticket.
If anyone has seen any of these—especially the Save All behavior with stacked outputs—I’d be interested to hear what you're experiencing. Maybe I have a setting wrong. I know we are still in Beta, so I am not that worried about it, but I would like to know where the heck my images are being saved if they are being saved to on my system form #2 above. I looked in the manual but I did not see or I might have over looked the saving all output thing. Not sure.
Well back to stacking, these butterfly scales are not going to stack themselves.
I’m curious if anyone else is experiencing a few issues I’ve noticed since updating to Helicon Focus 9.0.4 for Mac. I don’t remember having these problems with Helicon Focus 8.
1. Preview hangs when changing Radius or Smoothing
When using Preview, if I change Radius or Smoothing one increment at a time and wait for the preview to finish rendering before making another change, everything seems to work normally.
However, if I click several times quickly to move through multiple values, or drag the slider directly to the value I want, the preview sometimes hangs and never renders the new image. At that point I have to back out and start again, changing the setting one increment at a time and waiting for each preview to render.
I don’t remember needing to do this in version 8.
2. “Save All” doesn't appear to save an image created by stacking outputs
One feature I really like in 9.0.4 is being able to take two or more output images and stack those outputs again without first saving them and importing them back into Helicon Focus.
The problem comes when I use **Save All** afterward.
For example, if I have two normal output images plus a third image that was created by stacking those two outputs, Helicon reports that all three files were saved. However, only the first two appear in my designated output subfolder. The image created from the outputs is nowhere to be found.
If I select that image and click the Save icon, it appears to save, but I still can't find where it was saved. The only reliable way I’ve found to save it is to go to **File > Save** and manually choose the location.
Am I missing something here, or is anyone else seeing the same behavior?
3. Black Preview window when Helicon is actively stacking the images.
I reported this issue to Helicon Support about a month ago (7/11/26) via "support"involving the Preview window failing to build the preview and displaying a black window instead. Support responded that they were able to reproduce the problem and were going to investigate it. I mean in the end the image is stacked, I just enjoy watching the process more so when I am using method C and watch it build as well as doing some short videos with that going on, now just a black screen. I made a video on this but it is set to private for now. I gave them my files, they reproduced the issue, told me they are looking into it and closed the ticket.
If anyone has seen any of these—especially the Save All behavior with stacked outputs—I’d be interested to hear what you're experiencing. Maybe I have a setting wrong. I know we are still in Beta, so I am not that worried about it, but I would like to know where the heck my images are being saved if they are being saved to on my system form #2 above. I looked in the manual but I did not see or I might have over looked the saving all output thing. Not sure.
Well back to stacking, these butterfly scales are not going to stack themselves.