How Do I Change Save / Save As Default to JPG in Photoshop CC 2017?

I understand your question and don't think many of the answers addressed it.  I can't answer your question either, but I know it's out there somewhere.  When I hit CMD-S to save my work, the Save Window pops up and it SOMETIMES defaults to JPG but sometimes - and recently - defaults to "IFF Format" (whatever that format is).   I don't know why, but over time, I have found that there is some mysterious sequence which I cannot remember or duplicate, but often after an aborted "Save As" from a PSD file save.  Sorry I can't give you a "here's how to do it" answer, but at least I understand your question.  This has nothing to do with "export" and "default folders" and "default programs."  I get it....  If I hit CMD-S and the screen defaults to "IFF Format", how did it get there and why can't I just change it to JPG?????  You CAN, but it requires incantations and a secret password from Adobe....

Another related mystery recently solved: No matter what I did, the &^I$@# "SAVE" command would always default - as you originally questioned - to PSD, regardless of what the format of the file that was opened in it was...and you had to click "Save A Copy As" next to it (or in the drop down menu, and then you had to go up to the file name box, hit "select all" and then go all the way to the end to erase "copy" simply to save over your original JPG file.  What a pain!  Solution:  in the Preferences tab, there is a tab "FILE HANDLING" and under there there is an option to   "ENABLE LEGACY SAVE AS".  That's the secret!  Now when I hi CMD-S, it opens the window and I just have to pick the format (as per above, annoyingly defaulting to "IFF Format" BUT no more extra many steps to erase "copy" in the file name.  ...  It would be a whole lot faster if we could just switch the default to "JPG" though!  

I have an answer: saving format depends on the actions/plugins you use on Photoshop.

I use for editing mostly Nik Software plugins and Athentech PerfectlyClear and I have not any problem, saving format is by default jpeg. When I use Tony Kuyper actions (I have the panel  installed on PS), the saving format becomes by default to psd.

So other times it is possible to save to jpeg and other not, depending on the plugins / actions you used for editing!

Finally, there are custom written scripts that can save a JPEG copy, or a PSD+JPEG copy of the open image etc. These scripts can have a custom keyboard shortcut set against them to make them just as convenient as a regular save.

EDIT:

A creative action based trick (no scripting) can be found here:

Re: One-click 'Save as jpeg' shortcut script please! - saved in the same folder

I tested and it works as long as the original volume is not mounted… However it may or may not work on other systems than the one on which it was created, or in different versions etc.

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JJMack also has a clever trick here:

Re: One-click 'Save as jpeg' shortcut script please! - saved in the same folder

Which leverages the popular Image Processor Pro script, recording key steps into an “invisible entry” in an action – and it does indeed work!

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Searching this site or the web for Photoshop JPEG save as scripts will also turn up more than one option. Give it a go and please report back with a link to the script or method that worked best for you.

I agree with Dave regarding saving a “master” PSD version of any edits performed in Photoshop, over and above what has taken place in ACR.

Another option is to use the File > Scripts > Scripts Events Manager to automatically save a JPEG copy of EVERY image that is saved (which may or may not be considered practical or workable). Photoshop ships with this “Save Extra JPEG” script and has done so for quite a few versions (however you may wish to adjust the quality level, embedding colour profile etc from the default values in the script).

// (c) Copyright 2005.  Adobe Systems, Incorporated.  All rights reserved.
/*
@@@BUILDINFO@@@ Save Extra JPEG.jsx 1.1.0.0
*/
var begDesc = "$$$/JavaScripts/SaveExtraJPEG/Description=This script is designed to be used as a script that runs after a save event. The script will save an extra JPEG file next to the current active document. This script does not handle 'as a copy' when saving." // endDesc
var begName = "$$$/JavaScripts/SaveExtraJPEG/MenuName=Save Extra JPEG" // endName
// on localized builds we pull the $$$/Strings from a .dat file, see documentation for more details
$.localize = true;
try {
  if ( UsingAsACopy( arguments[0] ) ) {
  alert( localize( '$$$/JavaScripts/SaveExtraJPEGWarning=Save used As A Copy, extra file may not save correctly.' ) );
  }
  if ( IsBeginSaveEvent( arguments[0] ) ) {
  alert( localize( '$$$/JavaScripts/SaveExtraJPEGError=Save Extra JPEG should only be used with the Save Document event and not the Start Save Document event.^rSaving Extra aborted!' ) );
        throw( "DONE" );
  }
  var data = GetDataFromDocument( activeDocument );
  // if the current save was not a JPEG then save an extra JPEG
  // JPEG does not support Bitmap mode
    if ( 'jpg'  != data.extension.toLowerCase() && 
         'JPEG' != data.fileType && 
         DocumentMode.BITMAP != activeDocument.mode ) {
  SaveExtraJPEG( data );
    }
} // try end
catch( e ) {
  // always wrap your script with try/catch blocks so you don't stop production
  // remove comments below to see error for debugging 
  // alert( e );
}
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: SaveExtraJPEG
// Use: save the current document as a copy using JPEG options
// Input: a document must be active
// Params: folder, filename, extension
// Output: file saved as a copy next to the current active document
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function SaveExtraJPEG( data ) {
  // 'Save for Web' would be better but I'm lazy
        var jpegOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
        jpegOptions.quality = 2; // really low 
        jpegOptions.embedColorProfile = false; // really small
        
        // are we using extensions on this save
        var jpegExtension = '.jpg';
        if ( "" == data.extension ) {
  jpegExtension = "";
  }
        // third option is as a copy, set that to true 
        // so the activeDocument doesn't switch underneath the user
        activeDocument.saveAs( File( data.folder + 
                                     '/' + 
                                     data.fileName + 
                                     jpegExtension ), jpegOptions, true );
}
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: UsingAsACopy
// Use: find out if the user used 'As A Copy'
// Input: action descriptor from the event that just occured
// Output: boolean that 'As A Copy' was checked
// Note: On script events the script gets passed in the actual action that
// occured we can look inside the action descriptor and pull information out
// in this case we are looking for the keyCopy
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function UsingAsACopy( actionDescriptor ) {
  var usingKeyCopy = false;
  if ( undefined != actionDescriptor ) {
  if ( "ActionDescriptor" == actionDescriptor.typename ) {
  var keyCopy = charIDToTypeID( "Cpy " );
  if ( actionDescriptor.hasKey( keyCopy ) ) {
  usingKeyCopy = actionDescriptor.getBoolean( keyCopy );
  }
  }
  }
  return usingKeyCopy;
}
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: IsBeginSaveEvent
// Use: find out if the user used 'Start Save Document' event
// Input: action descriptor from the event that just occured
// Output: boolean that this is the 'Start Save Event' is occuring
// Note: On script events the script gets passed in the actual action that
// occured we can look inside the action descriptor and pull information out
// in this case we are looking for the "saveStage" to not be "saveBegin"
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function IsBeginSaveEvent( actionDescriptor ) {
  var usingStartSave = false;
  if ( undefined != actionDescriptor ) {
  if ( "ActionDescriptor" == actionDescriptor.typename ) {
  var keySaveStage = stringIDToTypeID( "saveStage" );
  if ( actionDescriptor.hasKey( keySaveStage ) ) {
  var typeSaveStage = actionDescriptor.getEnumerationType( keySaveStage );
                 var typeSaveStageType = stringIDToTypeID( "saveStageType" );
                 var enumSaveStage = actionDescriptor.getEnumerationValue( keySaveStage );
                 var enumSaveStageBegin = stringIDToTypeID( "saveBegin" );
                 usingStartSave = enumSaveStage == enumSaveStageBegin && typeSaveStage == typeSaveStageType;
  }
  }
  }
  return usingStartSave;
}
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: GetDataFromDocument
// Usage: pull data about the document passed in
// Input: document to gather data
// Output: Object containing folder, fileName, fileType, extension
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function GetDataFromDocument( inDocument ) {
  var data = new Object();
  var fullPathStr = inDocument.fullName.toString();
  var lastDot = fullPathStr.lastIndexOf( "." );
  var fileNameNoPath = fullPathStr.substr( 0, lastDot );
  data.extension = fullPathStr.substr( lastDot + 1, fullPathStr.length );
  var lastSlash = fullPathStr.lastIndexOf( "/" );
  data.fileName = fileNameNoPath.substr( lastSlash + 1, fileNameNoPath.length );
  data.folder = fileNameNoPath.substr( 0, lastSlash );
  data.fileType = inDocument.fullName.type;
  return data;
}

When I Save/Save As on the Mac, it remembers the last saved file format.

I agree with Warunicorn’s advice. Setup your Export Preferences as desired, such as:

Next, you can setup a custom Keyboard Shortcut, such as:

Then just use the keycut to save as a JPEG!

There are other options, which I’ll mention shortly…

My advice would be this:

Always save your master file as a PSD without any resizing. This keeps the layers and is saved in a lossless format (i.e. no image information is discarded when saving).

If you need a jpeg copy , e.g. to share on a website etc. then use Export - Save for Web (Legacy) and make the appropriate judgement, using the previews and sliders, between file size, required pixel size and and image deterioration. Jpeg is lossy and you do not want to repeatedly open and resave for example if you need a copy for enlargement or further sharing.

Dave

There is no way to set a default for the file type.

But if you're on Windows, press Tab once to highlight the Save as type dropdown, then press J to choose jpg.

Not sure if this works on a Mac, though.

Might want to give the Quick Export option a try. (File > Export > Quick Export as on the menu bar. Use Edit (Photoshop on Mac) > Preferences > Export to change the format to JPEG.)