TIFF - save as vs save a copy

Thanks all 🙂

A single floating layer (Layer 0 in the layers panel) is not the same as a flat background layer (Background, in italics, in the panel).

A floating layer can potentially support a large number of file properties, and the file structure is much more complicated even if the "shelves are empty", so to speak. Flattening to Background simplifies the file structure considerably and the file size goes down.

One particular thing to be aware of is that a floating Layer 0 can contain data outside the image boundary. This can happen if you crop with "delete cropped pixels" unchecked. Flattening will discard those outside pixels.

Save, Save a Copy, doesn't matter in terms of what the size will be with layers; the layers and the degree of data on them play a role. IOW, if you had a layer filled with pixel data, it would take up more space than a layer with a lot of transparency and few pixels. YMMV. 

If you Save a Copy and flatten it, you still have the original with the layers so you don't lose that of course. You lose a lot in the flattened version if you didn't have the original and wanted those layers to re-edit. So yes, not saving the layers (Flatten then just Save) makes the document take up less space on the drive. At a possible price. 

Hi,

With a heavy file problem, the first thing to do is to check the size of the pic. Command(or CTRL on PC)+ Alt +I

You can the see if it is possible to downsize the image.

How many pixels (or size/res)?