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why does photoshop export 300 ppi image as 72 ppi?

Participant ,
Nov 13, 2016 Nov 13, 2016

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why is it if i open an image in PS which has a dpi of 300 (image sourced from Shutterstock), work on the image and then use Export As JPG, the resulting ppi is 72 according to PS. I checked my Export Prefs and they are set to JPG and 100 for quality, so why does it export as 72 and not 300? I need to supply images in my document at 300dpi not 72dpi

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Adobe
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Community Expert ,
Jul 29, 2019 Jul 29, 2019

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WobertC  wrote

Perhaps Adobe should add a "ppi" field to the Export dialog.

Much better to rename "Export" so people don't misunderstand what it's for. For the intended use (web/screen/mobile devices), ppi is still irrelevant and moot.

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Community Expert ,
Jul 30, 2019 Jul 30, 2019

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And here's why it doesn't really matter for print either. If you export and place the image in an InDesign layout, the output resolution is relative to the scale in the layout.

With a Save As JPEG the res and output dimension info is read by ID, and the Actual and Effective PPIs match when the scale is 100%, but it‘s the Effective PPI and not the Actual PPI that will be output.

Screen Shot 1.png

One might be unaware that the res info is stripped on an Export, but that would force the designer to scale the image in order to get the desired output dimension, and the Effective PPI would also scale accordingly. So these two images have different Actual PPIs, but the same pixel dimensions, output inch dimensions, and effective output resolutions.

If I export this page to PDF, AcrobatPro’s Object Inspector will tell me the two images have identical resolutions.

Screen Shot 3.png

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Explorer ,
Jan 28, 2020 Jan 28, 2020

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I'm having the same problem - only discovered it when I went to my online printer and asked for a print using image size and it was 41"!!  It was then I discovered that the "Export As" was changing the ppi.  I tried to use the "Save As" put the online printers didn't like that format...?  So, I "Export As".  Open the JPEG in photoshop, change the image size and ppi back to 300 and save - a bore to be sure but at least I end up with what I want. 

 

I personally don't see the point of Adobe having a function like the "Export As" that doesn't save the settings prescribed - maybe they should fix it!

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Community Expert ,
Jan 28, 2020 Jan 28, 2020

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Re-reading this old and lengthy thread, it certainly took its time to get to the heart of the matter. But it finally did.

 

So again: Export is for web/screen/mobile. Pixels per inch does not apply for screen viewing. Since it is not needed, the ppi value is stripped from the file.

 

And in case you're wondering where the 72 number comes from, it's the Photoshop default when there is no resolution metadata present. Photoshop needs to have some ppi number for other unrelated reasons, but any number will do. Most native Windows applications will assign 96.

 

So you see, pasane, there is nothing to fix. This works entirely as intended.

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Community Beginner ,
Jun 13, 2021 Jun 13, 2021

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Photoshop's online help does not mention anywehere that "Export is for web/screen/mobile". I think this was true with the legacy 'save for the web', but not for the new 'export as' anymore. So, I do not consider this the correct answer (anymore). In addition, I think a dpi setting is actually missing and Adobe should have add this to the export settings. A workaround is given by lesnicole and williamting below.

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Community Expert ,
Sep 01, 2021 Sep 01, 2021

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Why do you not accept the fact the export was developed for saving Web assets,  Why would Photoshop need an Export feature when it has Save and Save AS for saving Image Files? Why do think export was not design to save web assets.  What in you opinion was export design for? A replacement for Save and Save AS.  Do you  think that Adobe will be removing Save  and Save As in the future?  Look at what happened when Adobe changed Save As.  That Broke batch actions and users work flows.  Adobe needed to Add a Photoshop preferences to enable legacy Save As so Users could use Photoshop to process their images again.  Adobe added Save a Copy for an Apple file system changes now Photoshop is more confusing then before the Save As change and Save a Copy most users do not want. Most Photoshop user use Windows and do not need a save a copy.  Legacy Save As never had a problem saving a copy.   I would think that if export was developed for print publication that export would store a Print resolution in files not ignore print resolution. Print resolution is meaningless on the Web I have no problem believing Export was develop to save Web Assets.   The no print resolution smoking gun forces me in fact to believe. The fact that export has smaller image size limit then Photoshop has tell me export is not replacement for Save and Save AS they can  save larger images and do not ignore Print Resolution.

JJMack

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 03, 2021 Dec 03, 2021

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I just discovered this "issue".

 

As far as I'm concerned and I am sure I'm not alone, I was looking for a workaround to the "Save as a Copy" nightmare in the last update and simply changed my shortcut of shift-command-S to "export as a JPEG". I have always used Save As previously and assumed export would be no different than exporting out of LR.

Opened a previously finished file to re-work and discovered the size thing which lead me here. Just a guess that more people will run into this as they try workarounds for a quicker workflow that Save a copy has crippled. I process a lot of images through photoshop in a day and I thought I had found a solution. Disappointed that I just discovered that I am not as smart as I thought I was... 😞

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Community Expert ,
Dec 03, 2021 Dec 03, 2021

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@jonenich Yours is a different issue to that in this thread. To work around the Save As Copy issue just go to Preferences >File Handling and check "Enable Legacy Save As" then click OK and close and restart Photoshop

 

Dave

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 03, 2021 Dec 03, 2021

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Was that a recent patch? This is the first time I am hearing this, but thank you so much for the info! That's amazing!

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Community Expert ,
Dec 03, 2021 Dec 03, 2021

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@jonenich wrote:

Was that a recent patch? This is the first time I am hearing this, but thank you so much for the info!


 

Hi

PS 22.4.2 introduced the ability to revert to the previous behavior in Preferences > File Handling > File Saving Options.

Jane

 

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 03, 2021 Dec 03, 2021

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Seeing the warning dialog that came up when I checked the box leads me to believe that the story that it was an Apple software issue that forced Adobe's hand seems a little suspicious now... Sounds like someone thought we needed that change for "our own good".

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Community Expert ,
Dec 03, 2021 Dec 03, 2021

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@jonenich wrote:

.. leads me to believe that the story that it was an Apple software issue that forced Adobe's hand seems a little suspicious now


 

No, Apple forced it when they made changes to macOS and Adobe had no choice.

https://petapixel.com/2021/05/18/photoshops-save-as-function-has-changed-on-mac-heres-why/

 

Adobe's first response was to put png, jpg, pdf, etc., in Save a Copy in  22.4.1. In 22.4.2 they thankfully added the ability to revert to the previous behavior in Preferences > File Handling > File Saving Options.

 

Jane

 

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LEGEND ,
Dec 03, 2021 Dec 03, 2021

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quote

Adobe's first response was to put png, jpg, pdf, etc., in Save a Copy in  22.4.1. In 22.4.2 they thankfully added the ability to revert to the previous behavior in Preferences > File Handling > File Saving Options.

 

Jane

 


By @jane-e

and of course they did both these things without telling people about the changes 😉

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New Here ,
Jan 05, 2022 Jan 05, 2022

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OMG Thank you for that!!! 

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Explorer ,
Sep 01, 2021 Sep 01, 2021

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Thank you D Fosse for explaining that.   Much appreciated.  

 

 

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Participant ,
Aug 10, 2020 Aug 10, 2020

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Even though this answer is correct, there is another consideration. As someone who creates digital graphics for sale, customers will not understand that pixel dimensions are pixel dimensions no matter what the ppi. As you say, Export is for web/screen/mobile. It sounds like the orignal poster does need 300 ppi though. Note - even if technically, the 72ppi file would have the same pixel dimensions, trust me - most people dont understad that. Save yourself the headache of lots of questions and comments from customers / services by saving as 300ppi. Use Save As instead of Export if you want 300 ppi. the only downsize to Save As rather than Export is that you don't get an option to strip out extraneous metadata which I like to do. For me, I export from Lightroom stripping out any metadata except copyright and contact. You could also Export then run an action to save to 300 ppi (without resampling.)

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Community Beginner ,
Mar 25, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

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It seems that there is no easy solution within Photoshop. My workaround for this issue is to use another free app "Faststone Image Viewer", and select PNG as the output format. It will do a mass conversion quickly.

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New Here ,
Jun 12, 2021 Jun 12, 2021

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Having the same issue. I have always been able to change my 72dpi images to 300dpi in Photoshop and then save them as 300dpi. As of today,  I can't do this anymore. I do what I've been doing for years - ie. save my image as 300dpi but when I reopen it after saving it, it is not 300dpi but 72dpi. This happens with Quick Export, Export As and Save As. The only way I can get the image to save as 300dpi is if I save it as a copy. Which is ridiculous. If anyone knows what to do to fix this, I would appreciate it.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 12, 2021 Jun 12, 2021

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It's not ridiculous, it's by (sensible) design.

 

Export and Save For Web are intended for web/screen/mobile devices, where ppi is a meaningless and irrelevant figure. So the resolution metadata are stripped out and removed from the file.

 

There is no ppi in a file from Export/SFW - not 72, not 300, not anything. The 72 figure appears when the file is reopened into Photoshop, and a default value is assigned. That's 72 in Photoshop, but 96 in most native Windows apps.

 

A regular Save will always retain resolution metadata.

 

 

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Community Beginner ,
Jun 13, 2021 Jun 13, 2021

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Export and Save For Web are not the same. Save for the web is legacy. From the Photoshop's help page about Export: "Can I export my Photoshop document using Save for Web? Yes. You can still use Save for Web (Legacy) option to export your assets."

 

In my opinion, the export function should have a dpi setting.

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New Here ,
Aug 31, 2021 Aug 31, 2021

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Save file as a diiferent name than the original Jpeg

 

I was having this problem and it nearly drove me mad. It simple turned out that all I had to do is change the file name and my 72dpi jpeg was now 300dpi jpeg. 😕

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New Here ,
Aug 31, 2021 Aug 31, 2021

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and I saved it as: Save As

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Community Expert ,
Aug 31, 2021 Aug 31, 2021

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Although this topic has been about JPG, PNG is even more confusing!

 

Just like JPG, PNG files exported (not save as) do not contain any resolution metadata.

 

The official PNG specification states that the PNG resolution unit is in metres (not inches). This can be verified using metadata tools such as ExifTool.

 

So, a 300 ppi save as PNG (not export) from Photoshop would embed a value of 11811 ppm (pixels per metre). When Photoshop opens a PNG with this resolution metadata, it performs an “on the fly translation” from PPM to PPI:

 

118.11 (ppcm) x 2.54 (inch) = 299.9994 ppi... rounded up this is 300 ppi.

 

:]

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LEGEND ,
Aug 31, 2021 Aug 31, 2021

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Both Photoshop and Bridge appear to have bugs regarding PNG resolution metadata.

 

As for exporting JPEG images, there is a pile of wrong info about Save for Web. As long as you don't strip out the necessary metadata, SFW absolutely writes the PPI information. Either Choose All or All Except Camera Info when you save.

 

I have more than 15,000 JPEGs that were saved via SFW and all of them have proper PPI metadata attached.

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Community Expert ,
Aug 31, 2021 Aug 31, 2021

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It's not wrong, it just means you have to deliberately set the metadata rolldown. At default, it's stripped.

 

Export does not have this option, it always strips.

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