Photoshop opens file bigger than original dimensions

[charlies62992232]

Hi All,

Hope someone can answer this. I often build composite images in InDesign which I then export as a pdf then open in Photoshop and save as a Jpeg for digital use (generally for a particular client's screensavers).

Before I updated to the current version of Photoshop, I would create a Photoshop document to the correct size in pixels  (1000px x 1000px for example) then change the units so I could see what the dimensions were in mm (in the case of the example 176.4mm x 176.4mm). I'd then create the InDesign file using the dimensions in millimetres, export the pdf, then open it in Photoshop.

Previously, when I opened the pdf in Photoshop, the pixel dimensions were exactly what I'd expect them to be, 1000px x1000px but lately, the pixel dimensions are never the same, often twice the size of the original. I've absolutely no idea what's changed... can anyone help please!

[D Fosse]

Introducing physical size units into this is what messes it up. Don't do that. It's completely irrelevant on screen, it doesn't apply. On screen everything is measured in pixels (and the size on screen determined by the screen's pixel density).

However, InDesign is a vector based, print-centric application that works by physical print dimensions. That's where this happens, at the export stage.

Photoshop never changes the pixel dimensions by itself, it cannot happen. An image file consists only of pixels, nothing else. It doesn't have a "size" as such, only a certain number of pixels. The print size is determined later via the pixels per inch number, but that's just metadata.

You can work around all this by making sure the ppi number is entirely consistent and constant all the way through. That includes the InDesign Export stage and pdf creation, and the reimport pdf stage in Photoshop. That's a lot of ducks to line up and there should be simpler ways to do this.

Someone with more all-round experience with InDesign (if you have to use that), may suggest better practices there. I've only ever used it for books and printed material.

[charlies62992232]

Hey thanks for your reply, I totally understand where you're coming from regarding dimensions, pixels and physical size. What I'm interested in finding out is more why something used to happen and now it doesn't!

I know using InDesign may seem a strange way to go about creating images but I often have to manipulate text and find it quicker and easier in InDesign... or at least I did 🙂

[Joely · Accepted solution]

Why don't you export directly from ID to JPG?

In any case – don't change the PPI's when rendering/opening in PS.

Good luck.

[Test Screen Name]

To emphasize: the size of a PDF in Photoshop comes from two things (1) the size in inches/mm when you made the PDF (2) the resolution (ppi) when you open the PDF in Photoshop. You must check BOTH of these.

[charlies62992232]

Doh! It was a case of always doing what I've always done so that didn't even occcur to me. Cheers Toughmedia!!!

[Test Screen Name]

Please try this.

1. Check the PDF page size in Acrobat (hover in bottom left corner)

2. Open it in Photoshop

3. Use Image Size and check the page size in inches/mm (NOT PIXELS).

Do the two image sizes match (ignore pixels for this test).

[Guest]

Hey thanks for your reply, I totally understand where you're coming from regarding dimensions, pixels and physical size. What I'm interested in finding out is more why something used to happen and now it doesn't!

I know using InDesign may seem a strange way to go about creating images but I often have to manipulate text and find it quicker and easier in InDesign... or at least I did 🙂

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[rdtyrdtyrdty]

I have similar issues here, I used to edit a file on photoshop (png, jpeg, etc), but recently, the file size is bigger than showed on file info when I open it on photoshop, not twice but ten or more times bigger. It never happened until recently, I will be thankful if someone can help me fix this issue I have here.

[D Fosse]

Don't think in terms of physical print size. Photoshop doesn't work that way - it works in pixels. So many pixels wide by so many pixels high. That's the file size in Photoshop.

The print size is determined by assigning some (arbitrary) pixels per inch (ppi) value. This can be changed at any time later without affecting the file itself. It just tells the printer to spread the pixels more or less out on the paper.

If you use Export or Save For Web, the ppi number is stripped from the file. When reopened into another application, a default ppi value is usually assigned - 72 most often, but sometimes 96 or any other value.

You can change ppi in the Image Size dialog. Just make sure to have "resample image" unchecked. If you check this, Photoshop will recalculate the whole image to fit the new parameters, and this can ruin an image in an instant if you're not careful.

[GJD2014]

Hey there,

I understand exactly what the user is referring to. 

Forgetting everything that has been said about pixels and measurements, what I want to know is why, exactly as said, Photoshop now opens every design that is passed to me, at double the actual size?

Is it something to do with the PS set-up and using it on a retina display mac?

It is causing me a massive headache not being able to get accurate measurements from a file without dividing everything in half.

It is also loading the double sizes in to Zeplin for inspection.

Take for example, a rectangle, if I measure the rectangle with my mac desktop measure, it tells me it is 350px wide, which is correct, because similar sized elements on an existing design uploaded to a website are also 350px wide.

However, the psd tells me the rectangle is 700px wide, as does Zeplin if I upload the design.

It is the same with fonts, the point size is double what it should be, it displays on screen at the correct size, but the actual point number is twice what it should be.

I heard a rumour that you can set PS to open a 1x to compensate for retina displays.

Any ideas on this?

It has been this was since approximately the 2018 update.

Thanks Graham

[saraha27183986]

Did you get to the bottom of this issue? I have had a similar issue recently where I exported a file from Lightroom as 3544 x 4961 pixels and then when I opened it up in Photoshop and checked image size, it was 3293 x 4608 pixels. No adjustments had been made to the file. I cannot work this out??