Photoshop Plugin Installation

Photoshop Plugins

This page describes the StarNet and DeepSNR Photoshop plugins: current releases, system requirements, installation instructions, and how to use the plugins in Photoshop.

Installation guide

The same steps apply to both plugins on Windows and Mac. Check the system requirements, then download StarNet2 or DeepSNR.

Install the plugin

Requires Adobe Photoshop 26.11.7 or newer and Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop to install the CCX. Older Photoshop versions and Affinity Photo are not supported.

Tested with Photoshop 26.11.7 on Windows and 27.10.0 on Apple Silicon Mac. Photoshop on a physical Intel Mac has not been tested.

The screenshots below show StarNet2 on Windows. Follow the same sequence for DeepSNR; macOS dialogs may look different. The version shown in the screenshots is an example.

1. Download and open the CCX

Save your work and close Photoshop. Download StarNet2 or DeepSNR, then double-click the .ccx file to open it in Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop.

Creative Cloud may take a moment to open without showing any progress. Please wait before trying again.

Browser download history showing the completed StarNet2 CCX download.

2. Confirm installation

Creative Cloud Desktop shows Install a non-marketplace plugin because the download comes from this website rather than Adobe Marketplace. Check that you downloaded it from the official StarNet Software website, then click Install.

Creative Cloud Desktop non-marketplace plugin confirmation with an Install button. — Click Install to continue. Installing a newer CCX replaces the existing version of that plugin.

3. Review the permissions notice

Read Adobe's third-party plugin notice, then click OK to continue. Your operating system may ask for administrator approval in a separate window.

Creative Cloud Desktop explaining third-party plugin permissions and possible administrator approval, with an OK button. — The password fields pictured inside Adobe's notice are an illustration, not fields to fill in on this screen.

4. Check that installation finished

Wait for Creative Cloud Desktop to show the plugin as Installed. You can check this under Manage plugins. Then reopen Photoshop, or use Open Photoshop in the completion message.

Installation can also pause without showing progress. Wait for the installation confirmation before reopening Photoshop or starting the installer again.

Creative Cloud Desktop showing StarNet2 as Installed and a successful installation message. — Creative Cloud confirms installation and points to Photoshop's Plugins menu.

5. Open the panel from Plugins

In Photoshop, choose Plugins → StarNet2 → StarNet2, or Plugins → DeepSNR → DeepSNR. These are panels in the Plugins menu, not entries under Filter or Smart Filters.

Photoshop Plugins menu expanded to StarNet2, with the StarNet2 panel entry in its submenu. — Choose the plugin's panel entry from its submenu.

6. Accept the license and start using the plugin

On first use, click Accept license terms, then read and accept the agreement to enable processing. The screenshot below shows the panel after acceptance. Open a supported image and select a pixel layer to begin. Image processing runs locally on your computer.