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designerd80779336
designerd80779336
Participant
July 19, 2017
Answered

InDesign Export to JPG, file dimensions are significantly larger

  • July 19, 2017
  • 8 replies
  • 38916 views

I am trying to export an image from InDesign to a JPG file and it will not export at he correct size

I have read other forums that told me to export at PPI: 72, tried this and it didn't work.
i am exporting as: JPG
Quality: Medium
Format method: Baseline

Resolution PPI: 72
colour space: CMYK

embed colour profiles and anti-alias are both checked.

Please help!

    Correct answer davidblatner

    This has long been a problem in InDesign. Basically, in order to make it work, you have to do a little math. Mike Rankin wrote it up here:

    "in the Resolution (ppi) field, enter a little math equation: desired width/current width * 72
    So for this example, the desired width is 600 (px) and the current width is 432 (px). So you’d enter 600/432*72 and press Enter."

    See this page for all the details: https://indesignsecrets.com/tip-export-jpg-png-right-size.php

    Keith Gilbert has written a free script that lets you export to a specific size (dimension) here: https://indesignsecrets.com/new-indesign-script-to-export-jpegs-at-a-precise-size.php

    8 replies

    Lordrhavin
    Lordrhavin
    Inspiring
    February 12, 2025

    In any sane program (like affinity) you'd just enter the desired pixels in one dimension. 

    Willi Adelberger
    Community Expert
    Willi AdelbergerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 11, 2023

    What is the purpose for your jpg? You write it should be for A4/A5. Did you consider to export as PDF/X4 instead of a jpg and place this on a page. No sorrows about resolution.

    L
    Longish
    Participating Frequently
    May 11, 2023

    Well I did say quick and dirty...

     

    I was providing a bunch of A5 pdfs and there was a last minute call for jpgs, and they came out a bit small (that is, A5), I came around to this post and worked out the solution... Made the deadline etc etc...

    Er, that's it...

    Thanks for the alternative approaches

    Cheers

    Russell Neill NZ
    Russell Neill NZ
    Participant
    May 18, 2022

    This is absolutely farked

      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      May 18, 2022

      Also, an InDesign page is a vector object—it has no pixel dimensions or resolution.

       

      Pixels in InDesign are a Ruler unit, if you set the Ruler units to Inches in the above example, the page dimensions will be 7.7778" x 2.0833". The JPEG Export dialog is asking for Pixels Per Inch—not a pixel dimension. 7.7778 X 72 = 560.0016:

       

      L
      Longish
      Participating Frequently
      May 11, 2023

      So, guys, just had this problem, I came across a *very* quick and dirty way around it. I wanted an A5 leaflet to an A4 jpg.

       

      When you have finished your InDesign page save it - just keep a copy. Then go into document setup and select the size of jpg you want to produce – when I hit A4 the background expands and my leaflet is stranded in the middle of the page.

      Control A to select all and simply drag the page to fit the new dimensions - if you want it a specific size click on the document and insert the size you want into the transform box (be aware that if the page size is different to the transform numbers you will lose data or gain a white line around the jpg.

      Given that InDesign works like a vector program you can do what you want with it

       

      Chris

      O
      oliverc14491760
      Participant
      December 14, 2020

      I do not know / no idea where you got this 'desired width' idea from. 

      My dimensions are 560px (w) x 150px (h). I have no 'desired' width, the width is set up. So what should I enter in the resolution when exporting please? 

      I tried to just do 560/560*72 and that did not turn out at an ideal size or quality. 

      Thanks

      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      December 14, 2020

      If your InDesign document’s dimensions in Pixels is 560 x 150 no math is required, simply set the Resolution to 72ppi in the JPEG or PNG Export dialog and the exported image will have a matching 560 x 150 pixel dimension when viewed in Photoshop.

       

       

      JonathanArias
      JonathanArias
      Legend
      July 20, 2017

      i have had this happen to me sometimes, i set the quality to low and that helps. If the issue persist i just make a photoshop document at the size i want and resolution. Place the .pdf of the image as a smart object and make the image. But its rare for me to have to go this further.

      J
      JGONZALEZ11944
      Participant
      December 16, 2019

      How do you get the right dimensions without the picture becoming pixeladed? 

       

      J
      JGONZALEZ11944
      Participant
      December 16, 2019

      Also if your creating a digital Ad which program would be the best to create a digital Ad. I created digital Ad in indeisgn, didnt get the correct dimensions. when i resized it it became pixelated. 

      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 20, 2017
      and it will not export at he correct size

      By correct size do you mean pixel dimensions or print output dimensions? The JPEG export of a page or selection is to the Indesign output dimensions at whatever ppi resolution you choose. A placed image's original pixel dimensions or original output size are not considered, because you could have multiple image's with varying resolutions and scales on a page.

      If you are working with pixel units, Indesign considers the output dimension of a pixel to be 1/72". So if you export a page item that measures 200x200 pixels to 72ppi, it will open in Photoshop at 200x200 pixels. If the page item happens to b an image its actual or effective resolution is not considered.

      davidblatner
      Community Expert
      davidblatnerCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      July 20, 2017

      This has long been a problem in InDesign. Basically, in order to make it work, you have to do a little math. Mike Rankin wrote it up here:

      "in the Resolution (ppi) field, enter a little math equation: desired width/current width * 72
      So for this example, the desired width is 600 (px) and the current width is 432 (px). So you’d enter 600/432*72 and press Enter."

      See this page for all the details: https://indesignsecrets.com/tip-export-jpg-png-right-size.php

      Keith Gilbert has written a free script that lets you export to a specific size (dimension) here: https://indesignsecrets.com/new-indesign-script-to-export-jpegs-at-a-precise-size.php

      Bill Silbert
      Community Expert
      Bill SilbertCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 20, 2017

      When you export an image as a jpeg from InDesign make sure that the InDesign page size is the same as the size of the jpeg. If you have the image placed on a page larger than the image then the dimension of the InDesign page is what will be read when opening the jpeg in Photoshop.

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