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Photoshop "Export As" size limits?

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
July 1, 2020
14 replies
56188 views

Hello folks,

Got an issue that confused me and suprised me that I couldn't find an answer by googling...

When I try to export one of my panorama pictures using "Export as", Photoshop (V21.2) automatically scales down my pictures and gives following message: "The image's initial dimensions exceed the maximum allowed pixels and having be downscaled".

What caused this problem? Did I do anything wrong?

Correct answer Conrad_C

Ok, how can I check what are limitations?

The dimension limitations for Save for Web are 8192 × 8192 pixels. That is why a long dimension above 8192 is reduced to 8192. The limit exists because Save for Web is very old code, and that is why Adobe has named it Save for Web (Legacy). They want to remove this old command eventually.

There is a much newer command for web graphics export, intended to eventually replace Save for Web (Legacy). The new command is File > Export > Export As. The Export As command has no problem allowing and exporting a 9000 × 1920 px image in JPEG format.

So:

For a very large JPEG graphic optimized for the web or mobile, use Export As.
For a very large JPEG graphic to be printed, containing additional metadata such as ppi resolution and (if used) a clipping path, use File > Save a Copy.

Show previous replies

henrywlAuthor

Known Participant

So, my friend just got back to me and she had exactly the warning and scaled down result when open the same file. It is apparently PS "Export as" limitation issue, not my personal settings or my PS configurations (at least by default). Giving today's high end digital cameras and popularity of panorama photos, 17420 by 7421 isn't that big. So what is the maximum allowed pixels? What is the best option to export large JPG files while still have control on compression quality?

JJMack

Community Expert

Save as Jpeg has a quality settings 0 to 12 I believe. I use 10 to produce smaller file sizes then quality 12? I do not believe you will see and different in Print quality between quality 10 an quality 12. If you will be making changes in the future you also save a layered PSD so you still have you work and avoid jpeg generation degeneration.

The jpeg options pop-up happens during the save process the first time you save a new jpeg. After that you can save over the file and the same quality setting will be used.

JJMack

Bojan Živković11378569

Community Expert

There is limitation when saving for web. Have you tried to use Generator for that task?

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

'Export as' does indeed have a size limit, but I have no idea how much that size is exactly.

-- Johan W. Elzenga

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

Take a look at this post

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/image-size-resolution.html#:~:text=Photoshop%20supports%20a%20maximum%20pixel,resolution%20available%20to%20an%20image.

henrywlAuthor

Known Participant

Thank you Barbara for the quick answer. Actually I did check that article before posting here. It says "Photoshop supports a maximum pixel dimension of 300,000 by 300,000 pixels per image", while my image, which is at 17420 by 7421, is way below this limit.

JJMack

Community Expert

Thank you JJMack! But this doesn't explain why "Export as" would limit the image that not that big. and if there is a limit for "export as", what it would be? Also, "save as" doesn't have option to define quality of compression so that you can control the file size, which is the reason I choose "Export as", also I was able to denfine color space (Convert to sRGB) in the same time. The image is for online printing service that asks for JPG with sRGB color space and has a file size limit.

Adobe does not publish all limits I know some like 8000 layers. I was shocked when I hit Adobe Alpha channel limit and it was 53. I know I can gets around that and save selection in layer mask. I can have thousands. However I was using Alpha channels to avoid creating layer to simplify things. How many Actions can you have you in the Actions Palette. How many steps in a action. I tested many things and found most limits acceptable. There are other issue like how Photoshop scroll Scripts name list one script at a time rather then the script list height. So I work around that issue and uses windows file explorer to run scripts rather the menu File>Script>Name. Place will degrade your images if you do not match Print DPI resolutions so I avoid the issue. The Frame tool to uses Place and can have issuers sizing placed images. I removed the Frame tool from my tool bar and cripple its short. I have been framing images in Photoshop for years better than the Frame tool can without problems. I do not need a frame tool with issues. There are bugs in Photoshop Scripting that Adobe does not care to fix so I work around them. Adobe releases bug in every updated so I keep several version of Photoshop installed. There are a lot of things Adobe should do better IMO.

Most all save as some image file format have quality settings some do not need a quality setting for no quality will be lost. Photoshop has a covert profile feature if you need it. Photoshop has Issues Export may have issues. Export As is new it is more likely the have issues then Save AS.

JJMack

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