Known Participant

Question

How can I disable the image preview on PSDs?

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
June 22, 2019
8 replies
10519 views

Hi Folks,

I'm trying to disable the image preview on PSDs, but it doesn't work.

More and more these days I reduce PSD file sizes with a white layer at the top when I save. That shaves huge amounts off the file size. Lie 115MB down to 75MB!

I tried disabling image preview in settings but it has no effect at all.

Hoping someone can help

John

creativeadvantech

Inspiring

When I go to image size and try to resample down the image from 3.5GB to 60MB, the "preparing to build preview" and color spinning wheel appears. How do I turn off the preview in "Image>Image Size" so maybe spinning wheels won't appear?

KillerRabbit

Known Participant

Yep dealing with that right now. Never been an issue before.

bobbybowden

Participant

I hate when people give half information.... where is "preferences"??

D Fosse

Community Expert

Have you looked in the menu? Edit > Preferences.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

" it's hard to see how the saving in a compressed white composite layer can outweigh the size of an extra layer." I did some tests a while back, and my recollection is that a monochrome layer adds almost nothing to file size.

D Fosse

Community Expert

OK, here goes:

4300 x 2900 pixels, one extra pixel layer and three adjustment layers. All layers are masked. A fairly standard mid-size PSD.

I then turned compression on, relaunched Photoshop and saved out. Then I added a white layer on top and saved out another copy.

They weigh in at 201.7 MB and 201.9 MB respectively. So correct, the extra white layer doesn't add much, but it doesn't make it smaller either.

Then I turned compression off again, and repeated. This time they came in at 326.2 MB, and 419.3. Much bigger difference.

---

As for using compression at all, my thinking is that if you worry about file sizes you simply can't get any work done.That can't be a consideration. You get new drives as you need them, end of story. To me it's infinitely more important that the compression is incredibly time-consuming. A really large file can take minutes to save and open with compression - but two seconds uncompressed. The priority isn't even up for discussion here.

J

johnivanwhiteAuthor

Known Participant

OK, I think I see it now.

'Maximise Compatibility' is the thing that puts up the file size hugely—and (on a mac at any rate) creates the preview image. If it's switched off, you get a blank white preview. Fair enough, you don't get increased versatility for no cost.

To get a smaller file with 'Maximise Compatibility' still on, use a white layer. It works.

But, if 'Maximise Compatibility' means it'll display in an InDesign layout when imported, or some other application, it'll be for nothing if there's a white layer on top. I don't know what else 'Maximise Compatibility' is useful for. Maybe Lightroom or something... I never use that.

So if there's any point in ever having a PSD with 'Maximise Compatibility' enabled, even though there;s a white layer on top, then go ahead and do it, to save space.

Also, with these 70—130MB files of mine, whether compression is on or not makes sod all difference to load times. I haven't tested how quickly they 'save' but they load in between 2 and 3 seconds regardless of compression being on or not.

J

johnivanwhiteAuthor

Known Participant

It's funny, I've been using Photoshop for years and I forgot all about this checkbox in the save dialog box (screenshot)

It has no effect whatsoever. I'm going to check for a Photoshop update now.

John

davescm

Community Expert

Hi

I'm on Windows not Mac. There is discusion here on image previews related to Mac. It starts from a different premise i.e. some not seeing the previews but it may help. .:

Photoshop CC: Not seeing finder thumbnails on MacOS (MacOS issue) | Photoshop Family Customer Community

Dave

J

johnivanwhiteAuthor

Known Participant

There's really something wrong here.

It's telling that when i saved the PSD, I wasn't 'asked' if I wanted to "Maximise PSD and PSB compatibility despite setting it to do so.

Maybe I need to delete my preferences file and set it up again from fresh?

D Fosse

Community Expert

There is no way adding a layer can reduce file size, white or not. It can only add to the file size, all else being equal. Which it can't be in your case.

As for file sizes in general, I usually say that if that's a concern, you're in the wrong business. If you're working with image files, prepare for massive storage space.

J

johnivanwhiteAuthor

Known Participant

D,

I'm surprised that you would come on this thread and suggest that what I've asserted in here, more than once, is untrue. I actually do this and it works—dramatically. Turning off the visibility of all layers has the same effect, but because that is so inconvenient to do, my solution uses a white layer.

If it didn't work, believe you me, I wouldn't waste my time doing it—and stating that it does work on here.

J

johnivanwhiteAuthor

Known Participant

Blast, disabling "Maximise PSD and PSB compatibility to "Never"" didn't work either. The file still has a Preview and is still huge.

John

JJMack

Community Expert

Have you tried using Never saving PSD. If you do some applications like LR will not be able to do anything with the PSD. Your white layer should also mess up Lightroom for it does not have layer support it can only use the composite image that may be in PSD files. LR would only see your image is white.

I do not use LR but I do use old version of Photoshop so I always save them....

JJMack

J

johnivanwhiteAuthor

Known Participant

Hi JJ,

Yes, I used 'Never' under 'File Saving Options > Image Preview'. It seems to do nothing.

Thanks for your help with the "Maximise PSD and PSB compatibility to "Never""

John

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

Hi JJ,

Thanks for your help with the "Maximise PSD and PSB compatibility to "Never""

John

By @johnivanwhite

An old thread I know, but I know of at least one function that will not work if you turn off file compatability. I once spent a frustrating couple of days unable to make Displacement Maps work until (I think it was John) told me about this wee gotcha.

From what I can remember from the years using this forum, my impression is that most of us turn off file compression for .PSD and .PSB files. Although, now I think about it, drives are so incredibly fast nowadays, we could probably put up with the tiny wait to load large files, and win back a bit of drive space.

davescm

Community Expert

Interesting - I just added a white layer to a few PSDs to try it and the file size increased in each (I tried with PSD compression bothh enabled and disabled).

To your question if you go to Preferences>File Handling and set Maximise PSD and PSB compatibility to "Never" then it does not save a flattened preview in the PSD. Be aware though that if you use Lightroom though the preview is required.

To be honest I am not worried about file size - hard disk storage is cheap, so I always have the Maximise compatibility set . I also disable compression on PSDs and PSBs as the trade of is a larger file but quicker opening times.

Dave

J

johnivanwhiteAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Dave,

I suspect your PSD files are pretty small, so that adding a layer adds considerable data. With a 115MB file it really cuts it down massively.

I don't use Lightroom but I will have an issue with PSDs that are placed into InDesign—because they won't display.

I never knew there was a 'compress' facility!

I'll try "Maximise PSD and PSB compatibility to "Never"" now. Never saw that before!

Thanks

John

davescm

Community Expert

johnivanwhite wrote
Hi Dave,
I suspect your PSD files are pretty small, so that adding a layer adds considerable data.

I tried it with 156MB , 142MB, 195 MB and 2.8 GB files (the last being PSB)

Dave

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