Saving in the wrong file mode

[graverholt]

I open a NEF file and edit it, and I want to save it as a JPEG file, but it saves as PSD, so I must change to JPEG.
How do I make it save as JPEG as default?

[Michael Bullo]

I appreciate this does not answer your question but, with all due respect, are you sure you want to follow this workflow? Saving as a PSD retains all of your edits and allows you to make adjustments at a future date (assuming you are working non-destructively). You can also export out a JPEG at any time.

[Bojan Živković]

File > Save a Copy or record action, for example, and run it everytime you want to save as JPEG.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

The file is likely in 16 bpc which isn't supported by JPEG. As suggested by @Bojan Živković use Save As a Copy or preserve your layered PSD @Michael Bullo noted and in a duped file make sure that the file is flattened, 8 bpc with no alpha channels so that it directly conforms to the requirements of JPEG when using Save As.

[graverholt]

Earlier, I just pressed Shift-Ctrl-S and then it automatically saved as a JPEG

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

A newly rendered but unsaved raw file has no file format.

PSD is the safest default.

If the unsaved file is 8 bpc, flattened with no alpha channels then it can be saved as JPEG. Otherwise Save As a Copy to JPEG (or enable Legacy Save As in preferences). Some people use actions or scripts to default their saves to JPEG or other file formats.

Some people have mentioned that older versions of Photoshop did remember the last used format, but AFAIK there isn't a setting for this, so perhaps this changed in a later version of Photoshop.

[graverholt]

It worked until a month ago

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

@graverholt 

So have you updated Photoshop?

Have you reset Photoshop preferences?

Have you updated your OS?

What has changed in your environment if you report a sudden change in expected behaviour?