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charlies62992232
charlies62992232
Participant
January 9, 2019
Answered

Photoshop opens file bigger than original dimensions

  • January 9, 2019
  • 5 replies
  • 5071 views

Hi All,

Hope someone can answer this. I often build composite images in InDesign which I then export as a pdf then open in Photoshop and save as a Jpeg for digital use (generally for a particular client's screensavers).

Before I updated to the current version of Photoshop, I would create a Photoshop document to the correct size in pixels  (1000px x 1000px for example) then change the units so I could see what the dimensions were in mm (in the case of the example 176.4mm x 176.4mm). I'd then create the InDesign file using the dimensions in millimetres, export the pdf, then open it in Photoshop.

Previously, when I opened the pdf in Photoshop, the pixel dimensions were exactly what I'd expect them to be, 1000px x1000px but lately, the pixel dimensions are never the same, often twice the size of the original. I've absolutely no idea what's changed... can anyone help please!

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Joely10623436

    Why don't you export directly from ID to JPG?

    In any case – don't change the PPI's when rendering/opening in PS.

    Good luck.

    5 replies

    rdtyrdtyrdty
    rdtyrdtyrdty
    Participant
    January 29, 2019

    I have similar issues here, I used to edit a file on photoshop (png, jpeg, etc), but recently, the file size is bigger than showed on file info when I open it on photoshop, not twice but ten or more times bigger. It never happened until recently, I will be thankful if someone can help me fix this issue I have here.

    S
    saraha27183986
    Participant
    October 7, 2021

    Did you get to the bottom of this issue? I have had a similar issue recently where I exported a file from Lightroom as 3544 x 4961 pixels and then when I opened it up in Photoshop and checked image size, it was 3293 x 4608 pixels. No adjustments had been made to the file. I cannot work this out??

    A
    Anonymous
    January 9, 2019

    Hey thanks for your reply, I totally understand where you're coming from regarding dimensions, pixels and physical size. What I'm interested in finding out is more why something used to happen and now it doesn't!

    I know using InDesign may seem a strange way to go about creating images but I often have to manipulate text and find it quicker and easier in InDesign... or at least I did :-)

    The Technology Headlines

    T
    Test Screen Name
    Legend
    January 9, 2019

    Please try this.

    1. Check the PDF page size in Acrobat (hover in bottom left corner)

    2. Open it in Photoshop

    3. Use Image Size and check the page size in inches/mm (NOT PIXELS).

    Do the two image sizes match (ignore pixels for this test).

    Joely10623436
    Community Expert
    Joely10623436Community ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    January 9, 2019

    Why don't you export directly from ID to JPG?

    In any case – don't change the PPI's when rendering/opening in PS.

    Good luck.

      T
      Test Screen Name
      Legend
      January 9, 2019

      To emphasize: the size of a PDF in Photoshop comes from two things (1) the size in inches/mm when you made the PDF (2) the resolution (ppi) when you open the PDF in Photoshop. You must check BOTH of these.

      D Fosse
      Community Expert
      D FosseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      January 9, 2019

      Introducing physical size units into this is what messes it up. Don't do that. It's completely irrelevant on screen, it doesn't apply. On screen everything is measured in pixels (and the size on screen determined by the screen's pixel density).

      However, InDesign is a vector based, print-centric application that works by physical print dimensions. That's where this happens, at the export stage.

      Photoshop never changes the pixel dimensions by itself, it cannot happen. An image file consists only of pixels, nothing else. It doesn't have a "size" as such, only a certain number of pixels. The print size is determined later via the pixels per inch number, but that's just metadata.

      You can work around all this by making sure the ppi number is entirely consistent and constant all the way through. That includes the InDesign Export stage and pdf creation, and the reimport pdf stage in Photoshop. That's a lot of ducks to line up and there should be simpler ways to do this.

      Someone with more all-round experience with InDesign (if you have to use that), may suggest better practices there. I've only ever used it for books and printed material.

        charlies62992232
        charlies62992232Author
        Participant
        January 9, 2019

        Hey thanks for your reply, I totally understand where you're coming from regarding dimensions, pixels and physical size. What I'm interested in finding out is more why something used to happen and now it doesn't!

        I know using InDesign may seem a strange way to go about creating images but I often have to manipulate text and find it quicker and easier in InDesign... or at least I did :-)

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