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TommyHiltonHead
Participant
March 14, 2022
Answered

Export As PNG at 16-bits DOES NOT WORK in PS version 23.2.1

  • March 14, 2022
  • 4 replies
  • 10121 views

In the latest version of PS (23.2.1), "Export As" PNG at 16-bits DOES NOT WORK.  No matter what you set in PREFERENCES or in "EXPORT AS", you cannot export a png at 16-bits.

 

Also, the keyboard shortcut for "flow" (in the brush tool) of PS no longer exists.  It did exist in earlier versions of PS

Correct answer J453

I don't believe Export As or Save for Web have ever supported exporting 16-bit PNG. 

Save a Copy will get do it.

4 replies

A
Anonymous
November 14, 2022

somebody PLEASE just say--nothing else!--how to convert a 16-bit "whatever" (in my case, .exr) to a 16-bit PNG because Photoshop 2023 isn't letting me do it in Save As Copy, Export As, or anything else I can see.

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    D FosseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 14, 2022

    Save A Copy does it just fine here:

     

    However, Export and Save For Web are both restricted to 8 bit, since they are intended for web/screen/mobile, where 16 bit makes no sense.

      Nancy OShea
      Community Expert
      Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 15, 2022

      @TommyHiltonHead,

      I think you're confused about the terminology.

      PNG 8 can support a maximum of 256 colors only. It's a lower quality PNG.  

      PNG 24, on the other hand, can contain 16.7 million colors. That's the highest quality PNG.

       

      8-bit images can hold 256 tonal values in three different channels (red, green, and blue).  That equals 16.7 million colors.

      Whereas 16-bit images have 65,536 tonal values in the same three channels. This far exceeds what the highest PNG is capable of.

       

      So to answer your question, you must use 8-bit images when exporting to PNG 8 or PNG 24.  Nobody can change that.

       

      Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
        T
        TommyHiltonHeadAuthor
        Participant
        March 15, 2022

        Thank you, Nancy.  Great explanation, BTW.  This is interesting, for I've always assumed that PNG-24 was the highest quality for PNG, but I thought it was 16-bit. My bad.  But here is why I was so interested in "hoping" that "Export As" would give me a 16-bit png.  Of course, I thought that if I could get a 16-bit png file with "Export As" just like I can with "Save As", I would be getting the highest quality png file I could (I hope that is correct!).  So, you ask, "Why would I want that?"  Well, as a HeadShot photographer, all my final files to clients are either used for PRINT purposes (which is another discussion for another day), or for displaying on the web (this is my immediate concern).  As an internet/web file,  previously, I would give clients a jpeg file—to which my understanding was: it can be universally shared on the internet (sRGB color space) successfully.  However, I was thinking, "Why give clients an 8-bit jpeg file, when I could give them a 16-bit png file (which can also be shared on the web).  Whereas, the 16-bit png has better resolution, although, it's a honkin' big file!  Question: Is not a HeadShot on the web better/finer detail as a 16-bit png file...or 8-bit jpg?  That's my issue.

        Nancy OShea
        Community Expert
        Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        March 15, 2022

        Export head shots to JPG instead of PNG.  

         

         

        Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
        T
        TommyHiltonHeadAuthor
        Participant
        March 15, 2022

        You may be correct, but it begs the question of why, under "Export As", there is a box to tick whether or not you want an 8-bit png. It makes me think that if one does not tick that box, you would expect to get a 16-bit png.  And since, indeed, you can easily get a 16-bit png file with "Save As" (sans the other goodies found under "Export As"), why wouldn't you get a 16-bit png file if you did not tick the 8-bit box?

        J
        J453Correct answer
        Legend
        March 14, 2022

        I don't believe Export As or Save for Web have ever supported exporting 16-bit PNG. 

        Save a Copy will get do it.

          N
          Normality is Boring
          Participant
          August 22, 2022

          Saving as a copy does not work. Everytime I try to make my file 16 bit it automatically goes back to 8 bit no matter what I do with my files it just always wants to go back. I work in gradients and there's color bands appearing because of this in many of my photos. Please have the team continue to work on this thanks!

            Nancy OShea
            Community Expert
            Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            August 22, 2022

            @Normality is Boring,

            What file type are you attempting to Save As?

            16 bit is not supported by all file types.  For example, JPG is 8 bit only.

             

             

             

             

             

            Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
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