How to export a JPEG with 300dpi? PS keeps exporting at 96dpi even though image res is set to 300px

[Ncosgrove]

So this is not a new issue with photoshop and Adobe and apparently a new thread needs to be opened on an issue that dates back to 2016 dealing with JPG formats, exportsing, save for web... Why is it so difficult to save at a higher resolution other than 96 or 72DPI? Not everything that is created using photoshop is for web only.

What really gets the water boiling is how threads are closed down by supposed Adobe Community Professionals but there was never a resolution to the problem, just another kick to that can down the road. Now almost 6 years later and the problem still exists. Sure there are workarounds like using Bridge or Lightroom or even using File>Script>Image Processor but without doing your own research you would never have found it since Adobe is so very helpful. I literally just figured that one out from a locked blog post that I can not ask or discuss further because it is locked. I mean why the heck not lock down a discussion and all with no real answer or solution. That seems to be an appropriate and standard operating procedure for Adobe. Especially since it was still being discussed a couple of months ago. Bravo Adobe, Bravo!

It is as if they are saving money by requiring us to test their software... We are the R & D department for Adobe... They should pay us.

[Ncosgrove]

*Exporting

Adobe, add an edit tab... Hopefully before I am dead!

[davescm · Accepted solution]

Export is designed for web use. As such it exports with no PPI metadata. PPI is meaningless for screen use as it is just data used by a print driver to work out a physical print size from the pixel dimensions.

If you see 72 or 96 on reopening it is because applications add a nominal value when the PPI data is not present in the file.

If you want a jpeg with PPI metadata maintained, then use Save As rather than export.

Dave

[Ncosgrove]

Not correct for saving a phtoshop PSD to a Jpg at 300dpi.

Try again.

[D Fosse · Accepted solution]

Export strips the ppi metadata.

Save As/Save a Copy retains the ppi metadata.

It really is as simple as that, so if you wnat to retain it, Save - don't Export.

[Conrad C]

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@Ncosgrove wrote:

Not correct for saving a phtoshop PSD to a Jpg at 300dpi.

Try again.

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It is correct.

Try again…but this time, be precise with the terminology. Do you literally mean “saving,” or did you actually “export?" Remember, that is the key difference here.

I tested it again. I set ppi to a weird value of 257 ppi just so I could be sure that it was preserving that file’s ppi metadata, not defaulting to something common like 72 ppi or 300 ppi. Then I used File > Save a Copy and selected JPEG as the Format. Checking the resulting JPEG file, both Apple Preview and Adobe Bridge reported 257 ppi. Save a Copy to JPEG worked perfectly for preserving ppi, as everyone has said.

The main problem is that, as far as I know, most Photoshop tutorials, including those by Adobe, never mention the philosophical difference in Photoshop between Save As/Save a Copy and the Export submenu commands. So, many users innocently think that they can get the same result out of both commands, while the reality is that Adobe has put in the strict difference between them that the correct answers describe: Save As/Save a Copy can and do include all image info, previews, and metadata — including ppi, and the Export submenu commands drop a lot of that stuff — including ppi — to minimize file size for online use.

Adobe should make the difference between Save As/Save a Copy and Export more discoverable. Because once someone understands that difference, they can get it right every time.

[D Fosse]

Agreed, and I think Export is a bad name for it. In many (most?) other applications, Export is the normal way to output a finished result. That's what people naturally look for when the work is done and they need to pass it on.

Much can be said about Save For Web, but it described pretty accurately what it was for.

[Hazlip Creative]

Using "Save as a Copy" was helpful for me, thank you. There are no longer any options to change ppi in any of the export options, and "Save As..." no longer lists jpg as a format. If Adobe is listening, we still need to put ink, toner, or vinyl on paper, drinkwear, clothes, and other materials at some point. Not every project is destined for screens, so ppi is still important.

[Rob_Cullen]

I suggest you are not aware of the Preferences option in Ps v22.4.2 that allows  [Save As] for JPGs-

In the help article-   https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/saving-images.html  see this section:

Revert to legacy Save As options

With Photoshop 22.4.2, you can both revert to the legacy Save As workflow and/or omit the addended “copy” when saving as a copy if desired. 

To find these new preference options, navigate to: 

• (macOS) Photoshop > Preferences > File Handling > File Saving Options
• (Windows) Edit > Preferences > File Handling > File Saving Options 

[Hazlip Creative]

Thank you, and you're right, I haven't looked those preferences too thoroughly. And can I just say the "legacy options" make me feel old. lol! But I'm glad it's there. How about "seasoned professional options" instead?