Skip to main content
S
Stopokingme
New Participant
November 7, 2019
Question

Save for web space in filename

  • November 7, 2019
  • 6 replies
  • 3867 views

Is there a way to make "Save for Web" NOT replace spaces in the filename iwht dashes?  That is infuriating as the save for web interface is much easier to work with than doing a Save As for other filetypes, but I hate having to rename everything it creates wrong because it doesnt like a space or character and rplaces it with a dash.

 

Im on version Photoshop Elements 2020, but I suspect solutions for any recent version is probably similar.

Thanks!

6 replies

A
Andrei_D
Inspiring
March 17, 2025

Elements+ includes a script named "Save for Web All":

https://elementsplus.net/help/en/save-for-web-all.htm

 

Among other things, it allows to remove the dashes by unchecking the Unix compatibility:

L
Luke Grayson
Participating Frequently
March 16, 2025

There is a way to prevent this behaviour - at least in Photoshop CS4 (I can't speak for later versions).

Steps as follows:

  1.  In the Save for Web & Devices popup window, click Save
  2.  In the Save Optimized As popup window select Other from the Settings dropdown (under File name and Save as type dropdowns) and wait for the Output Settings popup window to open.
  3.  Here you can change the settings for Default and Custom - I use Custom and leave the Default to save with hyphens. Select Custom from the Settings dropdown
  4.  In the File Naming settings, select the dropdown after slice name and select space

  5.   Un-tick the Unix option under Filename Compatibility settings
  6.  Click OK

 

Now, whenever you wish to save a file and not have the spaces replaced with hyphens, select Custom from the Save as type dropdown in the Save Optimized As popup window.

Glenn 8675309
Glenn 8675309
Brainiac
March 16, 2025

This is a photoshop elements forum.  Users should also note that your screenshots were  made using software that is almost 17 years old, and does not apply to PSE.

Here is a link to the photoshop ecosystem community:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem/ct-p/ct-photoshop?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all

 

    L
    Luke Grayson
    Participating Frequently
    March 16, 2025

    My bad - apologies @Glenn 8675309 - I arrived at this post direct via Google Search Result and didn't think to check the forum scope. Thanks for letting me know.

    O
    OtterWithKids
    Participating Frequently
    April 11, 2022

    Old thread, I know, but this has bugged me for years—until today, when I finally found a solution!

      Glenn 8675309
      Glenn 8675309
      Brainiac
      April 12, 2022

      That's for photoshop, not photoshop elements.

      T
      Test Screen Name
      Brainiac
      April 12, 2022

      It does seem that Elements is doing the right thing since

      (1) Save for Web is meant only to save for web

      (2) Spaces are not allowed in the names of files on the web.

      It would certainly useful if something as neat as Save for Web was available for other kinds of save.

      P
      Phinny
      Brainiac
      November 8, 2019

      Just a wild guess Stopokingme, it's probably a left over from long ago when spaces caused problems in DOS or Fortran, HTML, Cobal, Pascal or who even remembers?  And so the space>hyphen rule may remain today solely because changing it doesn't pass cost/benefit muster from a business standpoint where too few might appreciate the change or even notice.  Similarly, the back story on Ctrl-Alt-Delete   Another distinct possibilty is that Phinny doesn't know what in the world he's talking about!  True.

      neeraj chaudhary
      Adobe Employee
      neeraj chaudhary
      Adobe Employee
      November 8, 2019

      Hi ,

       

      Can you provide more info (like screnshots ) for you issue ?

      Elements generally replace spaces in your file name while saving and same is true for save for web as well.

       

      Regards,

      Neeraj

      S
      StopokingmeAuthor
      New Participant
      November 8, 2019

      Sorry, there's really not much to take by way of screenshots.  If when saving in Save for Web,you type in any file name containing a space, the file is instead saved with hyphens in place of the space.  Its been that way in photoshop forever - even from before it was part of the CS packages like in Photoshop 4 and likely before.  I've always hated it as it means I have to manually rename the files (from outside the app) all the time.  

      Greg_S.
      Greg_S.
      Community Expert
      November 7, 2019

      There is no way to change the default naming convention for the Save for Web dialog - or any other save template execpt for the minor modifications that can be set in the Preferences>Saving Files dialog (upper/lower case extensions).

      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
      Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices