Skip to main content
N
Noxon
Participating Frequently
January 28, 2026
Question

Saving an image with sRGB conversion brightens it

  • January 28, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 21 views

I’m using Photoshop 27.3. I can’t guarantee this happen since this version specifically, but the issue is pretty recent. I’m not even sure it could be considered a “bug”, so I prefer to ask here first.

 

I had a script that I used to run that splits layers into several layers and export them one by one. Until now I never encountered any issue with it. Yesterday I used it again, and figured out the saved images were far brighter than they should be (like almost 30% brighter). I tried to save them manually with different export options to figure out what the issue was, and it seems to be related to the “convert to sRGB” option.

 

This option seems to have been enabled by default now, and it significantly alter the image’s colors when used.

 

I can uncheck the option when I try to export a file, also unchecked it in the preferences, but it persists when I use “Save for web ...” and there seems to be no way to prevent it. It is pretty inconvenient, as the “Save for web” feature allowed me to have very light (low-weight) and very consistent PNG files, before the sRGB issue became a thing.

 

Is there any way I can fix that?

 

 

    2 replies

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    D FosseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 12, 2026

    There are only two things I can think of that could cause this.

     

    One is a missing or ignored color profile. With the color profile embedded - whatever it is - the file should be correctly and identically represented anywhere (as long as the application handling it supports color management).

     

    The other is a bug in the graphics pipeline. Usually that’s the GPU driver. Since the colors seem unaffected and only the tone curve differs between the two, this seems like the more likly option.

    Anshul_Saini
    Community Manager
    Anshul_SainiCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    February 12, 2026

    Hi ​@Noxon,


    Thanks for reaching out, and sorry for the delayed response. I checked this behavior internally across Photoshop 2021 through Photoshop 2026, and in all these versions, Save for Web has “Convert to sRGB” enabled by default. So this isn’t something newly introduced in 27.3.

     

    A couple of important clarifications:

    • The “Convert to sRGB” setting in Preferences applies to Quick Export as PNG, not to Save for Web.

    • So disabling it in Preferences will not affect Save for Web output.

    • In Save for Web, the checkbox state there controls the conversion independently.

    If you’re seeing a brightness shift, here’s something worth trying:

    • Open File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy)

    • Uncheck Convert to sRGB

    • Click Done

    • Quit Photoshop completely

    • Reopen Photoshop

    • Try exporting again and see if the behavior persists


    If the issue persists after that, please share a screen recording of your workflow, roll back to a previous version in Creative Cloud & check whether it behaves as expected.

     

    Best,
    Anshul Saini

      N
      NoxonAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      February 12, 2026

      Hi, I tried that, it indeed seems to have worked. So, you have to “save for web” once a dummy layer from the file with the “convert as SRGB” setting being unchecked, and then run your script: the ExportOptionsSaveForWeb object will preserve this export option for the current file.

      It is good to know, however, it would be still great to be able to edit this option within this object, like it is the case for most of other options.

      By time, I eventually used Javascript with the Sharp library to solve my needs, but it is nice to know that it is still possible in Extend Script.

      Thank you for your answer.

      E
      ExUSA
      Genius
      February 12, 2026

      Export is still a mess, Save for Web can be used with saved presets and included in actions/scripts. I use SfW in production as a product photographer and use it daily.

      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
      Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices