Illustrator Export for Screens VS Save for Web - file size

[Andrii Kulikov]

Hi!

why would Export for Screens feature produces noticeable larger jpg files compared to good old Save for Web? For instance using the same artboard:

EfS: JPG 80% (predefined) 365 kb

SfW: JPG 80% (default settings) 261 kb

Trying to get used to use EfS but this issue rolls me back every time.

[Doug A Roberts]

Some of it could be metadata, which Export As and Export for Screens both save, but Save for Web doesn't.

[Andrii Kulikov]

100kb should be a lot of data. Any way to disable adding these?

[Doug A Roberts]

It does seem like too much to be accounted for by that, but I can't think of anything else.

[ryan_edwards]

you could run your jpegs thru this as well if file size is a big concern

https://tinyjpg.com/

[Andrii Kulikov]

thanks! anyway I now that trick and It seems to be a workaround not a solution for me.

I could keep using Save for Web, but Adobe says 'Hey! Why not use super-duper Export for Screens feature instead of this old junky Save for Web?'

being a new-features-fun I try to learn all improvements come with updates and though I missed something somewhere in settings.

[Sandee Cohen]

I can confirm this.

Export for Screens on left, Save for Web on right.

Some of what I think is Save for Web has controls not available in Export for Screens. For instance "Art Optimized" is in Save for Web. That could mean the difference.

But my question is what is "Export for Screens" for? I thought it was to create the images used in creating apps, not for the web. And images for apps for screens aren't downloaded except ones for the initial setup. That's one reason you don't need to worry about file size.

Or am I wrong?

I rarely use Export for Screens. Legacy gives me more controls. I just wish they didn't use the label Legacy. It makes me feel very old.

[Andrii Kulikov]

@Sandee Cohen,

Actually there are a JPG settings in Export For Screens:

But my question is what is "Export for Screens" for? I thought it was to create the images used in creating apps, not for the web.

So did I. And still do. However I wouldn't say I don't care about image size while creating assets for app. File size is never too small as I got used to think. Moreover in app you gonna need kinda bunch of images for each one so every byte added to total app size.

Export for screens could also be useful when creating some set of images for different social media for example. It is an export in 2 clicks instead of 3-4 times cmd+alt+shift+S.

Anyway that's the way it is I guess. I just thought I missed something.

[Sandee Cohen]

Thanks for the info. I wish I could have been more help.

Sent from my iPhone

[byronigoe]

It's not just filesize, but also quality. I've attached 2 JPGs: the first was made by "Export for Screens" to "JPG 50" with "Baseline Optimized" compression and "Art Optimized" anti-aliasing; the second was made by "Save for Web (Legacy)" to "JPG" with 50% quality, Optimized, and including the ICC Profile.

The first is 552KB, and the second is only 321KB (58% the size) and looks better.

Note that the first has a pink halo between the two black circles around the numbers, and the lines are less sharp. I thought there might be a default "Blur" applied by Export for Screens, but when I add Blur in Save for Web the filesize goes down and I never see the halo.

[Jacob Bugge]

Andrii, others,

In addition to what byronigoe said, you may have a look at this somewhat similar thread, especially post #9 by Ton:

Measurement precision FAIL