Cannot Access Mask AI as a Plugin from Photoshop 2020 on Mac OS

If you are able to launch Topaz Mask AI as a standalone but you cannot launch as a plugin from Photoshop there are a few things you can do. 

Note: this is very common in Photoshop 2020

1. Make sure Photoshop is completely shut down. 

Click on the FINDER on your Mac

Next, click on Go in the menu items

Next, go to Go To Finder. 

2. Paste in the path: 

/Applications/Topaz Labs LLC/Topaz Mask AI/Topaz Mask AI.app/Contents/Resources/PS_Plugins

Next, click the blue "Go" button to go to that folder

You should see the Topaz Mask AI.plugin file, it should look something like this: 

/Applications/Topaz Labs LLC/Topaz Mask AI/Topaz Mask AI.app/Contents/Resources/PS_Plugins

3. Open a new Finder window using CMD +N. You should now have two Finder windows open. You might need to pull one of the windows off to the side to have TWO finder windows. 

4. While on the second Finder Window, Click on Go in the menu items, then go to Go To Finder. 

5. Paste the path: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-Ins/CC and hit the Go button.

It should look like this:

See the two screenshots below. Your Topaz Mask AI installation plugin folder is in the top Finder window, and the Photoshop CC folder is in the bottom Finder window.

6. Drag and drop a copy of the Topaz Mask AI.plugin file into the CC folder. Your computer may ask you for permission to create an alias. That is just asking for permission to create a link pointing back to the Topaz Mask AI plugin file. Enter your password so that the computer can do this.

Enter your Mac computer password when it asks you to and it should look like this after you have done the drag and drop to create the alias pointing back to the Topaz Mask AI plugin file:

By doing this Photoshop will now be able to find the Mask AI plugin shortcut when you go to invoke the plugin.  

7. Open Photoshop again

8. Right-click on your background layer and select "Duplicate" to make a new layer that is not locked. (Plugins cannot be launched on a Locked layer)

Make sure the unlocked layer is selected.

9. Select Filter -> Topaz Labs -> Topaz Mask AI to launch your plugin