PS reverts to "psd" format rather than "jpg" during Save -- but only after I crop an image

[DavidMich]

I'm working on a Mac (10.13.6) with PS v. 21.12.2 (but this also has happened in previous versions), typically after an update, which I did again last week. I edit several hundred photos per session, so this is mostly a workflow issue.

Since my recent update, whenever I crop an (NEF) image along with my edit, then go to "Save," the default format in the ensuing "Save" window is "psd," rather than "jpg." However, whenever I edit the same file and DO NOT crop the image, the ensuing format in the "Save" window is "jpg," which I prefer.

I'm not sure why this only happens when I crop an image, but it does. And while it may not seem like a big deal to change the format from "psd" to "jpg," when you are working with several hundred photos per session, the cumulative result of  that single ineficient tasks costs valuable time.

Even more bizarre, the issue eventually goes away -- but typically takes months, if not more than a year. As experienced with previous PS versions, it's almost as though PS (eventually) learns that I do not want the "psd" default, and instead reverts to "jpg" for everything -- including photo crops. Problem is, there's no telling how long that transition will take. Sometimes I live with this inefficiency for a year or more. That's A LOT of photos -- and wasted time.

Questions:

_ Is there a way to manually tell PS to default to 'jpg" in all "Save" circumstances, regardless of what the edit includes -- including a crop?

_ Does PS "learn" over time, based on the muscle memory of a single task?

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

However, whenever I edit the same file and DO NOT crop the image, the ensuing format in the "Save" window is "jpg," which I prefer.

By @DavidMich

Can you look in your options bar when you have the Crop tool selected? The most likely reason (based on the sentence quoted) is the checkbox for "Delete Cropped Pixels". Make sure you are deleting the pixels or PS will try to save a PSD.

Jane

[gpstukey]

Thank you so much! 

[DavidMich]

Clearly, the "J" in Jane stands for "Jenius" because that seems to have fixed the problem. Thank you so much!

Do you know if PS learns over time to do this, based on muscle memory of some kind? Unless I have inadvertently made this same selection in two previous PS versions, this same issue seemed to auto-correct over extended time, which was both belatedly helpful and a bit creepy.

Either way, thank you so much for the prompt (and seemeinly effective) fix. Will the "Delete Cropped Pixes" remain checked now, even if I close PS? Or do I have to set that by default somewhere?

[jane-e]

Clearly, the "J" in Jane stands for "Jenius"

By @DavidMich

Hahaha, David, this has me laughing!

When you change options on any tool, they are sticky until you change them again or reset the tool, even when you quit and reopen, so this setting will stay checked for you until it is changed.

The default for the Crop tool is that "Delete Cropped Pixels" is checked. I'm not aware of a keyboard shortcut to change this but if there is one, someone else will chime in.

You can reset options for a tool by right-clicking the tool in the options bar (not Tools panel), then Reset tool (or Tools if you want to reset all tools). This will put the Tools back to their default settings so you get a fresh start in the next document. I do this fairly often.

Cheers,

Jane

[DavidMich]

OK, now you're just showing off. The fact that your help is clear, concise (and CORRECT!) is both appreciated and enormously refreshing. Your main problem, however, is that you have now been named the official go-to expert of the "David Struggles To Ties His Digital Shoes Show." 

I'll need your direct contact info and a 24-hour hotline. In return, I will give you access to every bank account bearing my name which, when combined, total upwards of $68.32. I'll also forward my social security number and those of anyone I know and love.

Thanks! 🙂

[jane-e]

@DavidMich 

You're welcome, and thanks for the smiles! 😊

Jane

[D Fosse]

Jane the jenius nailed your specific question, of course 🙂 But as for the broader picture:

Photoshop saves back to the original format unless the file has properties not supported in the target format. And that's nearly always the case. The fallback then, to preserve all data, is Photoshop's native file format, PSD.

The thing about jpeg is that it's an extremely limited file format. It basically just supports a flat 8 bit array of pixels. Anything else, in other words almost anything you can do to an image in Photoshop, renders jpeg off-limits.

[DavidMich]

Excellent additional feedback, D. For this specific task, jpg works because the edited photos are going right online. I retain the original NEW files, as needed. Thank you for you help. It is very much appreciated.