Layered Photoshop files now default to TIF, not PSD‽

[pixeltech]

Using Photoshop 24.1.0 (current CC 2023), new layered files default to TIF format rather than PSD. My longstanding workflow differentiates layered files as PSD and flat images as TIF, except in rare situations. 

It’s only one click to change to PSD, but I have to make that extra step every time I save a new file, and it’s irritating. I want to change the default format for layered files to PSD every time.

[TheDigitalDog]

Did the original data come from a raw, perhaps from Lightroom? 

For me, also on Mac, the format is sticky. 

Make a new document, make a few layers, and save: default is PSD.

Repeat this step, and save: PSD. Sticky. 

Repeat this step but save it as TIFF: the next time you do so, the default is TIFF. Sticky. 

If this doesn’t work for you, you can try resetting your Photoshop preferences. 

Now from Lightroom Classic, that’s a function of the preferences in that product (PSD vs. TIFF). 

[pixeltech]

In fact, it did come in from Lightroom, via “Edit in Photoshop.”

[TheDigitalDog]

In fact, it did come in from Lightroom, via “Edit in Photoshop.”e.

By @pixeltech

Not a bug, you need to setup your preferences in LR for either a TIFF or PSD as it comes into Photoshop. 

[pixeltech]

That sounds right, but I'm not finding that in LR Prefs... 

[pixeltech]

I very much appreciate you support on this! I am not, however, finding an option for moving a file from Lightroom to Photoshop via “Edit in Photoshop” as any particular format. It does seem to open as TIFF and “Save” as TIFF by default.

Interestingly, if I directly open the same images through the Finder or Bridge, I open JPG files through Camera Raw and then I get the“sticky” save option of whatever my last selection was (PSD). The format seems to be set by Lightroom and again, I see no way to change that.

My workaround is to use Bridge instead of Lightroom for this case. Luckily, I’m not using any development settings in LR this time around but yeah… it would be useful to be able to open files from Lightroom into Photoshop as Photoshop format documents.

[D Fosse]

Lr preferences > external editing

[pixeltech]

I appreciate the suggestion but I’m not using Lightroom Classic. That Pref is only in Classic. 

Lr preferences > external editing

By @D Fosse

[TheDigitalDog]

I appreciate the suggestion but I’m not using Lightroom Classic. That Pref is only in Classic. 

By @pixeltech

You'll have to take that up with the LR Desktop folks on their forum. Naturally the option for PSD or TIFF exists in Lightroom Classic. LR Desktop may have been 'dumbed down', and you may have to select PSD manually. I don't use that product. Otherwise, the behavior is sticky as described and is managed in Classic's preferences. 

FWIW, and this may not be much help, there really isn't anything a PSD provides a TIFF doesn't. Maybe a few odd features for InDesign users (I have no idea why the ID team can't support their own natively owned file format, TIFF, as they do with PSD).

This may be worth reading:

https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=18965.msg134830#msg134830

Wrong...PSD is now a bastardized file format that is NOT a good idea to use. Even the Photoshop engineers will tell you that PSD is no longer the Photoshop "native" file format. It has no advantages and many disadvantages over TIFF.

TIFF is publicly documented, PSD is not. That makes TIFF a preferred file format for the long term conservation of digital files.

TIFF uses ZIP compression for max compression, PSD uses RLE which if you save without the Max compatibility will be a bit smaller, but at the risk of not being able to be used by apps, like Lightroom.

TIFF can save EVERYTHING a PSD can save including layers, paths, channels, transparency, annotations and can go up to 4 GIGS in file size. TIFF can save all the color spaces PSD can. The ONLY thing I can think of that PSD can save that currently TIFF can't save is if you Save out of Camera Raw a cropped PSD, you can uncrop the PSD in Photoshop CS, CS2 or 3. That's one tiny obscure thing that PSD can do that TIFF currently doesn't. How many people even knew that let alone use it?

PSD used to be the preferred file format back before Adobe bastardized it for the Creative Suite. The moment that happened, PSD ceased to be a Photoshop "native" file format. PSB is the new Photoshop "native" file format for images beyond 30,000 pixels. And , at the moment, only Photoshop can open a PSB.

Getting back to the fist point, Adobe can do anything including stopping support for PSD because it's a proprietary  file format. TIFF is public, even if it's owned by Adobe (by virtue of the Aldus purchase). Even if Adobe went belly up tomorrow, TIFF would continue.

And, let me be blunt, anybody who thinks PSD is "better" than TIFF is ignorant of the facts. If Adobe would let them, the Photoshop engineers would tell you to quit using PSD. Lightroom for the first beta did NOT support PSD and Hamburg fought tooth and nail to prevent having to accept PSD. He blinked, but you still can't import a PSD without Max compat enabled-which basically makes it a TIFF with a PSD extension.

Look, I'll make it REAL simple...

TIFF = Good
PSD = Bad

Ok?

I happen to share that opinion, but I'm not a big ID user. I also dislike proprietary file formats. 

[pixeltech]

Thanks again!

Back in the late '90s, I was a Photoshop ACE, making my living with photographers and stock houses, but when ID came out, it became my main tool and that’s how I earn a living these days. The “Object Layer Options” only work with layered PSD and AI files, not TIFF or PDF, even though those are the “standard” formats. I use these features often.

From what the article you referenced implies, Adobe is the problem, and I’m left to kludge processes until they deem to support TIFF and PDF as fully as they support PSD and AI… and the bifrucation/dumbing down of Lightroom makes zero sense and never has, but railing against Adobe is a pointless exercise.

I think the answer to my question of changing default formats from LR to PS is… “Nope!”

Appreciate again the context you provide.

[TheDigitalDog]

I can't comment on the product-called Lightroom Desktop; I don't use it. 

The product called Lightroom Classic has preferences to control how Photoshop saves in the Edit In Photoshop command.

You might want to make a feature request for this in the forum that includes the Lightroom Desktop product.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-ecosystem-cloud-based/ct-p/ct-lightroom?page=1&sort=latest_...

[Jumpenjax]

Save a file as psd then all other should have a default of psd.

[TheDigitalDog]

Save a file as psd then all other should have a default of psd.

By @Jumpenjax

Yes, they should, and they do. Expect in this case, when round-tripping from Lightroom Desktop (presumably what the OP is using). Now from Lightroom Classic, a preference can be set for PSD or TIFF, and that does work.