Photoshop iPadOS export with alpha channel

[g353093358uxq]

I'm on the latest version and the latest iPadOS. I have an image with transparency. Epwhen exporting to png this is flattened. I need to save the alpha channel.. What am I doing wrong? I can find any export settings.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi @g353093358uxq

Thanks for reaching out! To help us understand the issue better, could you please share a few more details:

• What options are you using to export? If possible, could you share a screenshot of the options you’re selecting?

• When you say the image is getting flattened, does the transparent area turn white or black?

• Does this happen with all PNG exports or only with a specific file?

We’ll do our best to help you!

Regards,

Srishti

[g353093358uxq]

Sristi

Thanks. One of the issues is that there are not, as far as I can tell any save options.

You need to start with any image which has a transparent area. Obvioisly, many ways to do this, and afaict the issue is not dependent on this, but fwiw -

1) new document, background transparent

2)  select marquee tool, make a small selection, fill with pink

3)  you now have a pick rectangle against a transparent backgorund

4) Either Export image or Quick export as png > Save to files

5) Reopen the image you just saved: it is matted against white

As I say, how you make the image doesn't seem to matter - you found equally open an image, do remove background, merge the mask and try and save that - any image with a transparent background seems to behave the same way. EXCEPT ONE: if you open an image created on the desktop with an alpha channel - or if you open a transparent png from online - you can now edit this and it will save successfully. 

My feeling is that - well first of all, I'm not sure this isn't a conceptual misunderstang on my part frankly - if seems so fundamental is couldn't be broken, so pilot error seems likeliest. But if it isn't that, it feels like there is some default property on the document which isn't being initialised correctly to tell the ong exporter to preserve transparency. 

besides file size. Whether I do Publish and export > PNG or Quick Export, the only setting is 'File size' and selecting any of the three options there 

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @g353093358uxq, thanks for sharing those details and steps.

You’re not doing anything wrong; transparency in PNG should absolutely be preserved when exporting from Photoshop on iPad. There’s no separate toggle for alpha because PNG export should include transparency by default.

Could you please share:

• Export file as PSD and share it here or via DM with us. (You can upload via Google Drive, Dropbox, or WeTransfer.)

• iPad model + iPadOS version.

• Exact version of Photoshop for iPad (from App Settings > About).

This will help us escalate it to the engineering team if needed.

Looking forward to your reply.

Best,

Anshul Saini

[g353093358uxq]

I've been able to track the issue down a little.

Version 6.3.1 

iPadOS 18.5

iPad Air 11-inch (M2)

The crucial detail is: When you do quick export > png, this saves the attached png (ie matted against white). Doing Publish & Export > png saves the alpha transparency correctly.

BTW this is saving to the file system, not the camera roll, but afaict that behaves the same way.

[g353093358uxq · Accepted solution]

for goodness sakes. This solves it. It's saving as a jpeg. Nothing here to see. Sorry to have troubled you.