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File formats

  1. Photoshop User Guide
  2. Introduction to Photoshop
    1. Dream it. Make it.
    2. What's new in Photoshop
    3. Edit your first photo
    4. Create documents
    5. Photoshop | Common Questions
    6. Photoshop system requirements
    7. Get to know Photoshop
  3. Photoshop and other Adobe products and services
    1. Work with Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
    2. Work with Photoshop files in InDesign
    3. Substance 3D Materials for Photoshop
    4. Use the Capture in-app extension in Photoshop
  4. Photoshop on the iPad (not available in mainland China)
    1. Photoshop on the iPad | Common questions
    2. Get to know the workspace
    3. System requirements | Photoshop on the iPad
    4. Create, open, and export documents
    5. Add photos
    6. Work with layers
    7. Draw and paint with brushes
    8. Make selections and add masks
    9. Retouch your composites
    10. Work with adjustment layers
    11. Adjust the tonality of your composite with Curves
    12. Apply transform operations
    13. Crop and rotate your composites
    14. Rotate, pan, zoom, and reset the canvas
    15. Work with Type layers
    16. Work with Photoshop and Lightroom
    17. Get missing fonts in Photoshop on the iPad
    18. Japanese Text in Photoshop on the iPad
    19. Manage app settings
    20. Touch shortcuts and gestures
    21. Keyboard shortcuts
    22. Edit your image size
    23. Livestream as you create in Photoshop on the iPad
    24. Correct imperfections with the Healing Brush
    25. Create brushes in Capture and use them in Photoshop on the iPad
    26. Work with Camera Raw files
    27. Create and work with Smart Objects
    28. Adjust exposure in your images with Dodge and Burn
    29. Auto adjustment commands in Photoshop on the iPad
    30. Smudge areas in your images with Photoshop on the iPad
    31. Saturate or desaturate your images using Sponge tool
    32. Content aware fill for iPad
  5. Photoshop on the web (not available in mainland China)
    1. Common questions
    2. System requirements
    3. Keyboard shortcuts
    4. Supported file types
    5. Introduction to the workspace
    6. Open and work with cloud documents
    7. Generative AI features
    8. Basic concepts of editing
    9. Quick Actions
    10. Work with layers
    11. Retouch images and remove imperfections
    12. Make quick selections
    13. Image improvements with Adjustment Layers
    14. Add a fill layer
    15. Move, transform, and crop images
    16. Draw and paint
    17. Draw and edit Shapes
    18. Work with Type layers
    19. Work with anyone on the web
    20. Manage app settings
    21. Generate Image
    22. Generate Background
    23. Reference Image
  6. Photoshop (beta) (not available in mainland China)
    1. Get started with Creative Cloud Beta apps
    2. Photoshop (beta) on the desktop
    3. Generate background with descriptive text prompts
  7. Generative AI (not available in mainland China) 
    1. Common questions on generative AI in Photoshop
    2. Generative Fill in Photoshop on the desktop
    3. Generate Image with descriptive text prompts
    4. Generative Expand in Photoshop on the desktop
    5. Generative Fill in Photoshop on the iPad
    6. Generative Expand in Photoshop on the iPad
    7. Generative AI features in Photoshop on the web
  8. Content authenticity (not available in mainland China)
    1. Content credentials in Photoshop
    2. Identity and provenance for NFTs
    3. Connect accounts for creative attribution
  9. Cloud documents (not available in mainland China)
    1. Photoshop cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Photoshop cloud documents | Workflow questions
    3. Manage and work with cloud documents in Photoshop
    4. Upgrade cloud storage for Photoshop
    5. Unable to create or save a cloud document
    6. Solve Photoshop cloud document errors
    7. Collect cloud document sync logs
    8. Invite others to edit your cloud documents
    9. Share files and comment in-app
  10. Workspace
    1. Workspace basics
    2. Preferences
    3. Learn faster with the Photoshop Discover Panel
    4. Create documents
    5. Place files
    6. Default keyboard shortcuts
    7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
    8. Tool galleries
    9. Performance preferences
    10. Use tools
    11. Presets
    12. Grid and guides
    13. Touch gestures
    14. Use the Touch Bar with Photoshop
    15. Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
    16. Technology previews
    17. Metadata and notes
    18. Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
    19. Place Photoshop images in other applications
    20. Rulers
    21. Show or hide non-printing Extras
    22. Specify columns for an image
    23. Undo and history
    24. Panels and menus
    25. Position elements with snapping
    26. Position with the Ruler tool
  11. Web, screen, and app design
    1. Photoshop for design
    2. Artboards
    3. Device Preview
    4. Copy CSS from layers
    5. Slice web pages
    6. HTML options for slices
    7. Modify slice layout
    8. Work with web graphics
    9. Create web photo galleries
  12. Image and color basics
    1. How to resize images
    2. Work with raster and vector images
    3. Image size and resolution
    4. Acquire images from cameras and scanners
    5. Create, open, and import images
    6. View images
    7. Invalid JPEG Marker error | Opening images
    8. Viewing multiple images
    9. Customize color pickers and swatches
    10. High dynamic range images
    11. Match colors in your image
    12. Convert between color modes
    13. Color modes
    14. Erase parts of an image
    15. Blending modes
    16. Choose colors
    17. Customize indexed color tables
    18. Image information
    19. Distort filters are unavailable
    20. About color
    21. Color and monochrome adjustments using channels
    22. Choose colors in the Color and Swatches panels
    23. Sample
    24. Color mode or Image mode
    25. Color cast
    26. Add a conditional mode change to an action
    27. Add swatches from HTML CSS and SVG
    28. Bit depth and preferences
  13. Layers
    1. Layer basics
    2. Nondestructive editing
    3. Create and manage layers and groups
    4. Select, group, and link layers
    5. Place images into frames
    6. Layer opacity and blending
    7. Mask layers
    8. Apply Smart Filters
    9. Layer comps
    10. Move, stack, and lock layers
    11. Mask layers with vector masks
    12. Manage layers and groups
    13. Layer effects and styles
    14. Edit layer masks
    15. Extract assets
    16. Reveal layers with clipping masks
    17. Generate image assets from layers
    18. Work with Smart Objects
    19. Blending modes
    20. Combine multiple images into a group portrait
    21. Combine images with Auto-Blend Layers
    22. Align and distribute layers
    23. Copy CSS from layers
    24. Load selections from a layer or layer mask's boundaries
    25. Knockout to reveal content from other layers
  14. Selections
    1. Get started with selections
    2. Make selections in your composite
    3. Select and Mask workspace
    4. Select with the marquee tools
    5. Select with the lasso tools
    6. Adjust pixel selections
    7. Move, copy, and delete selected pixels
    8. Create a temporary quick mask
    9. Select a color range in an image
    10. Convert between paths and selection borders
    11. Channel basics
    12. Save selections and alpha channel masks
    13. Select the image areas in focus
    14. Duplicate, split, and merge channels
    15. Channel calculations
  15. Image adjustments
    1. Replace object colors
    2. Perspective warp
    3. Reduce camera shake blurring
    4. Healing brush examples
    5. Export color lookup tables
    6. Adjust image sharpness and blur
    7. Understand color adjustments
    8. Apply a Brightness/Contrast adjustment
    9. Adjust shadow and highlight detail
    10. Levels adjustment
    11. Adjust hue and saturation
    12. Adjust vibrance
    13. Adjust color saturation in image areas
    14. Make quick tonal adjustments
    15. Apply special color effects to images
    16. Enhance your image with color balance adjustments
    17. High dynamic range images
    18. View histograms and pixel values
    19. Match colors in your image
    20. Crop and straighten photos
    21. Convert a color image to black and white
    22. Adjustment and fill layers
    23. Curves adjustment
    24. Blending modes
    25. Target images for press
    26. Adjust color and tone with Levels and Curves eyedroppers
    27. Adjust HDR exposure and toning
    28. Dodge or burn image areas
    29. Make selective color adjustments
  16. Adobe Camera Raw
    1. Camera Raw system requirements
    2. What's new in Camera Raw
    3. Introduction to Camera Raw
    4. Create panoramas
    5. Supported lenses
    6. Vignette, grain, and dehaze effects in Camera Raw
    7. Default keyboard shortcuts
    8. Automatic perspective correction in Camera Raw
    9. Radial Filter in Camera Raw
    10. Manage Camera Raw settings
    11. Open, process, and save images in Camera Raw
    12. Repair images with the Enhanced Spot Removal tool in Camera Raw
    13. Rotate, crop, and adjust images
    14. Adjust color rendering in Camera Raw
    15. Process versions in Camera Raw
    16. Make local adjustments in Camera Raw
  17. Image repair and restoration
    1. Remove objects from your photos with Content-Aware Fill
    2. Content-Aware Patch and Move
    3. Retouch and repair photos
    4. Correct image distortion and noise
    5. Basic troubleshooting steps to fix most issues
  18. Image enhancement and transformation
    1. Replace sky in your images
    2. Transform objects
    3. Adjust crop, rotation, and canvas size
    4. How to crop and straighten photos
    5. Create and edit panoramic images
    6. Warp images, shapes, and paths
    7. Vanishing Point
    8. Content-aware scaling
    9. Transform images, shapes, and paths
  19. Drawing and painting
    1. Paint symmetrical patterns
    2. Draw rectangles and modify stroke options
    3. About drawing
    4. Draw and edit shapes
    5. Painting tools
    6. Create and modify brushes
    7. Blending modes
    8. Add color to paths
    9. Edit paths
    10. Paint with the Mixer Brush
    11. Brush presets
    12. Gradients
    13. Gradient interpolation
    14. Fill and stroke selections, layers, and paths
    15. Draw with the Pen tools
    16. Create patterns
    17. Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker
    18. Manage paths
    19. Manage pattern libraries and presets
    20. Draw or paint with a graphics tablet
    21. Create textured brushes
    22. Add dynamic elements to brushes
    23. Gradient
    24. Paint stylized strokes with the Art History Brush
    25. Paint with a pattern
    26. Sync presets on multiple devices
    27. Migrate presets, actions, and settings
  20. Text
    1. Add and edit the text
    2. Unified Text Engine
    3. Work with OpenType SVG fonts
    4. Format characters
    5. Format paragraphs
    6. How to create type effects
    7. Edit text
    8. Line and character spacing
    9. Arabic and Hebrew type
    10. Fonts
    11. Troubleshoot fonts
    12. Asian type
    13. Create type
  21. Filters and effects
    1. Use the Blur Gallery
    2. Filter basics
    3. Filter effects reference
    4. Add Lighting Effects
    5. Use the Adaptive Wide Angle filter
    6. Use the Oil Paint filter
    7. Use the Liquify filter
    8. Layer effects and styles
    9. Apply specific filters
    10. Smudge image areas
  22. Saving and exporting
    1. Save your files in Photoshop
    2. Export your files in Photoshop
    3. Supported file formats
    4. Save files in graphics formats
    5. Move designs between Photoshop and Illustrator
    6. Save and export video and animations
    7. Save PDF files
    8. Digimarc copyright protection
  23. Color Management
    1. Understanding color management
    2. Keeping colors consistent
    3. Color settings
    4. Duotones
    5. Work with color profiles
    6. Color-managing documents for online viewing
    7. Color-managing documents when printing
    8. Color-managing imported images
    9. Proofing colors
  24. Web, screen, and app design
    1. Photoshop for design
    2. Artboards
    3. Device Preview
    4. Copy CSS from layers
    5. Slice web pages
    6. HTML options for slices
    7. Modify slice layout
    8. Work with web graphics
    9. Create web photo galleries
  25. Video and animation
    1. Video editing in Photoshop
    2. Edit video and animation layers
    3. Video and animation overview
    4. Preview video and animations
    5. Paint frames in video layers
    6. Import video files and image sequences
    7. Create frame animations
    8. Creative Cloud 3D Animation (Preview)
    9. Create timeline animations
    10. Create images for video
  26. Printing
    1. Print 3D objects
    2. Print from Photoshop
    3. Print with color management
    4. Contact Sheets and PDF Presentations
    5. Print photos in a picture package layout
    6. Print spot colors
    7. Print images to a commercial printing press
    8. Improve color prints from Photoshop
    9. Troubleshoot printing problems | Photoshop
  27. Automation
    1. Creating actions
    2. Create data-driven graphics
    3. Scripting
    4. Process a batch of files
    5. Play and manage actions
    6. Add conditional actions
    7. About actions and the Actions panel
    8. Record tools in actions
    9. Add a conditional mode change to an action
    10. Photoshop UI toolkit for plug-ins and scripts
  28. Troubleshooting
    1. Fixed issues 
    2. Known issues
    3. Optimize Photoshop performance
    4. Basic troubleshooting
    5. Troubleshoot crash or freeze
    6. Troubleshoot program errors
    7. Troubleshoot scratch disk full errors
    8. Troubleshoot GPU and graphics driver issues
    9. Find missing tools
    10. Photoshop 3D | Common questions around discontinued features

  Discontinuation of 3D features in Photoshop

Photoshop’s 3D features will be removed in future updates. Users working with 3D are encouraged to explore Adobe’s new Substance 3D collection, which represents the next generation of 3D tools from Adobe. Additional details on the discontinuation of Photoshop’s 3D features can be found here: Photoshop 3D | Common questions on discontinued 3D features.

Choosing a file format

Graphics file formats differ in the way they represent image data (as pixels or vectors), and support different compression techniques and Photoshop features. To preserve all Photoshop features (layers, effects, masks, and so on), save a copy of your image in Photoshop format (PSD).

Like most file formats, PSD supports files up to 2 GB in size. For files larger than 2 GB, save in Large Document Format (PSB), Photoshop Raw (flattened image only), TIFF (up to 4 GB), or DICOM format.

The standard bit depth for images is 8 bits per channel. To achieve greater dynamic range with 16- or 32-bit images, use the following formats:

Formats for 16-bit images (requires Save A Copy command)

Photoshop, Large Document Format (PSB), Cineon, DICOM, IFF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, Photoshop PDF, Photoshop Raw, PNG, Portable Bit Map, and TIFF.

Note:

The Save For Web & Devices command automatically converts 16-bit images to 8-bit.

Formats for 32-bit images (requires Save As command)

Photoshop, Large Document Format (PSB), OpenEXR, Portable Bitmap, Radiance, and TIFF.

Supported file formats in Photoshop

File Format Types

Supported File Formats

Audio import formats

  • AAC
  • M2A
  • M4A
  • MP2
  • MP3

Video import formats

  • .264
  • 3GP
  • 3GPP
  • AVC
  • AVI 
  • F4V
  • FLV
  • MOV (QuickTime)
  • MPE
  • MPEG‑1
  • MPEG‑4
  • MPEG‑2 if a decoder is installed (for example, with an Adobe video app)
  • MTS
  • MXF
  • R3D
  • TS
  • VOB

Video export formats

  • DPX
  • MOV (QuickTime)
  • MP4
  • JPEG2000 (QuickTime)

Graphic file formats

  • WebP
  • BMP
  • Cineon
  • CompuServe GIF
  • DICOM
  • HEIF/HEIC
  • IFF format
  • JPEG
  • JPEG2000
  • Large Document Format PSB
  • OpenEXR
  • PCX
  • Photoshop 2.0 (Mac only)
  • Photoshop DCS 1.0
  • Photoshop DCS 2.0
  • Photoshop EPS
  • Photoshop PDF
  • Photoshop PSD
  • Photoshop Raw
  • PICT (read only)
  • PICT Resource (Mac only; can open only)
  • Pixar
  • PNG
  • Portable Bit Map
  • Radiance
  • Scitex CT
  • Targa
  • TIFF
  • Wireless Bitmap

3D-related formats

  • 3D Studio (import only)
  • DAE (Collada)
  • Flash 3D (export only)
  • JPS (JPEG Stereo)
  • KMZ (Google Earth 4)
  • MPO (Multi-Picture format)
  • U3D
  • Wavefront OBJ

About file compression

Many file formats use compression to reduce the file size of bitmap images. Lossless techniques compress the file without removing image detail or color information; lossy techniques remove detail. The following are commonly used compression techniques:

RLE (Run Length Encoding)

Lossless compression; supported by some common Windows file formats.

LZW (Lemple-Zif-Welch)

Lossless compression; supported by TIFF, PDF, GIF, and PostScript language file formats. Most useful for images with large areas of single color.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

Lossy compression; supported by JPEG, TIFF, PDF, and PostScript language file formats. Recommended for continuous-tone images, such as photographs. JPEG uses lossy compression. To specify image quality, choose an option from the Quality menu, drag the Quality pop‑up slider, or enter a value between 0 and 12 in the Quality text box. For the best printed results, choose maximum-quality compression. JPEG files can be printed only on Level 2 (or later) PostScript printers and may not separate into individual plates.

CCITT

A family of lossless compression techniques for black-and-white images, supported by the PDF and PostScript language file formats. (CCITT is an abbreviation for the French spelling of International Telegraph and Telekeyed Consultive Committee.)

ZIP

Lossless compression; supported by PDF and TIFF file formats. Like LZW, ZIP compression is most effective for images that contain large areas of single color.

Maximize compatibility for PSD and PSB files

If you work with PSD and PSB files in older versions of Photoshop or applications that don’t support layers, you can add a flattened version of the image to the saved file.

Note:

If you save an image in an earlier version of Photoshop, features that version doesn’t support are discarded.

  1. Choose Edit > Preferences > File Handling (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > File Handling (Mac OS).
  2. From the Maximize PSD and PSB File Compatibility menu, choose any of the following:

    Always

    Saves a composite (flattened) image along with the layers of your document.

    Ask

    Asks whether to maximize compatibility when you save.

    Never

    Saves only a layered image.

    Note:

    Choose Ask or Never if you want to significantly reduce file size.

Photoshop format (PSD)

Photoshop format (PSD) is the default file format and the only format, besides the Large Document Format (PSB), that supports all Photoshop features. Because of the tight integration between Adobe products, other Adobe applications, such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe GoLive, can directly import PSD files and preserve many Photoshop features. For more information, see Help for the specific Adobe applications.

When saving a PSD, you can set a preference to maximize file compatibility. This saves a composite version of a layered image in the file so it can be read by other applications, including previous versions of Photoshop. It also maintains the appearance of the document, just in case future versions of Photoshop change the behavior of some features. Including the composite also makes the image much faster to load and use in applications other than Photoshop, and may sometimes be required to make the image readable in other applications.

You can save 16-bits-per-channel and high dynamic range (HDR) 32-bits-per-channel images as PSD files.

Photoshop 2.0 format

(Mac OS) You can use this format to open an image in Photoshop 2.0 or to export an image to an application supporting only Photoshop 2.0 files. Saving in Photoshop 2.0 format flattens your image and discards layer information.

Photoshop DCS 1.0 and 2.0 formats

Desktop Color Separations (DCS) format is a version of the standard EPS format that lets you save color separations of CMYK images. You can use DCS 2.0 format to export images containing spot channels. To print DCS files, you must use a PostScript printer.

Photoshop EPS format

Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) language file format can contain both vector and bitmap graphics and is supported by virtually all graphics, illustration, and page-layout programs. EPS format is used to transfer PostScript artwork between applications. When you open an EPS file containing vector graphics, Photoshop rasterizes the image, converting the vector graphics to pixels.

EPS format supports Lab, CMYK, RGB, Indexed Color, Duotone, Grayscale, and Bitmap color modes, and does not support alpha channels. EPS does support clipping paths. Desktop Color Separations (DCS) format, a version of the standard EPS format, lets you save color separations of CMYK images. You use DCS 2.0 format to export images containing spot channels. To print EPS files, you must use a PostScript printer.

Photoshop uses the EPS TIFF and EPS PICT formats to let you open images saved in file formats that create previews but are not supported by Photoshop (such as QuarkXPress). You can edit and use an opened preview image just as any other low-resolution file. An EPS PICT preview is available only in Mac OS.

Note:

EPS TIFF format and EPS PICT format are more relevant to earlier versions of Photoshop. The current version of Photoshop includes rasterization features for opening files that include vector data.

Photoshop Raw format

The Photoshop Raw format is a flexible file format for transferring images between applications and computer platforms. This format supports CMYK, RGB, and grayscale images with alpha channels, and multichannel and Lab images without alpha channels. Documents saved in the Photoshop Raw format can be of any pixel or file size, but they cannot contain layers.

The Photoshop Raw format consists of a stream of bytes describing the color information in the image. Each pixel is described in binary format, with 0 representing black and 255 white (for images with 16‑bit channels, the white value is 65535). Photoshop designates the number of channels needed to describe the image, plus any additional channels in the image. You can specify the file extension (Windows), file type (Mac OS), file creator (Mac OS), and header information.

In Mac OS, the file type is generally a four-character ID that identifies the file—for example, TEXT identifies the file as an ASCII text file. The file creator is also generally a four-character ID. Most Mac OS applications have a unique file creator ID that is registered with the Apple Computer Developer Services group.

The Header parameter specifies how many bytes of information appear in the file before actual image information begins. This value determines the number of zeroes inserted at the beginning of the file as placeholders. By default, there is no header (header size = 0). You can enter a header when you open the file in Raw format. You can also save the file without a header and then use a file-editing program, such as HEdit (Windows) or Norton Utilities (Mac OS), to replace the zeroes with header information.

You can save the image in an interleaved or non-interleaved format. If you choose interleaved, the color values (red, green, and blue, for example) are stored sequentially. Your choice depends on requirements of the application that will open the file.

Note:

A Photoshop Raw image is not in the same file format as a camera raw image file from a digital camera. A camera raw image file is in a camera-specific proprietary format that is essentially a “digital negative,” with no filtering, white balance adjustments, or other in-camera processing.

Digital Negative format (DNG)

Digital Negative (DNG) is a file format that contains the raw image data from a digital camera and metadata that defines what the data means. DNG, Adobe’s publicly available, archival format for camera raw files, is designed to provide compatibility and decrease the current proliferation of camera raw file formats. The Camera Raw plug‑in can save camera raw image data in the DNG format. For more information about the Digital Negative (DNG) file format, visit www.adobe.com and search for the term “Digital Negative.” You’ll find comprehensive information and a link to a user forum.

BMP format

BMP is a standard Windows image format on Windows-compatible computers. BMP format supports RGB, Indexed Color, Grayscale, and Bitmap color modes. You can specify either Windows or OS/2 format and a bit depth of 8 bits/channel. For 4‑bit and 8‑bit images using Windows format, you can also specify RLE compression.

BMP images are normally written bottom to top; however, you can select the Flip Row Order option to write them from top to bottom. You can also select an alternate encoding method by clicking Advanced Modes. (Flip Row Order and Advanced Modes are most relevant to game programmers and others using DirectX.)

Cineon format

Developed by Kodak, Cineon is a 10‑bits-per-channel digital format suitable for electronic composition, manipulation, and enhancement. Using the Cineon format, you can output back to film with no loss of image quality. The format is used in the Cineon Digital Film System, which transfers images originated on film to the Cineon format and back to film.

DICOM format

The DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format is commonly used for the transfer and storage of medical images, such as ultrasounds and scans. DICOM files contain both image data and headers, which store information about the patient and the medical image.

GIF

Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) is the file format commonly used to display indexed-color graphics and images in HTML documents. GIF is an LZW-compressed format designed to minimize file size and electronic transfer time. GIF format preserves transparency in indexed-color images; however, it does not support alpha channels.

HEIF/HEIC

Modern mobile devices provide the capability to capture HEIF/.heic photos. 

Note: Canon HIF / HEIC Files are not supported. Use raw files from Canon cameras for best results.

IFF

IFF (Interchange File Format) is a general-purpose data storage format that can associate and store multiple types of data. IFF is portable and has extensions that support still-picture, sound, music, video, and textual data. The IFF format includes Maya IFF and IFF (formerly Amiga IFF).

JPEG format

Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format is commonly used to display photographs and other continuous-tone images in HTML documents. JPEG format supports CMYK, RGB, and Grayscale color modes, and does not support transparency. Unlike GIF format, JPEG retains all color information in an RGB image but compresses file size by selectively discarding data.

A JPEG image is automatically decompressed when opened. A higher level of compression results in lower image quality, and a lower level of compression results in better image quality. In most cases, the Maximum quality option produces a result indistinguishable from the original.

Large Document Format (PSB)

The Large Document Format (PSB) supports documents up to 300,000 pixels in any dimension. All Photoshop features, such as layers, effects, and filters, are supported. (With documents larger than 30,000 pixels in width or height, some plug-in filters are unavailable.)

You can save HDR, 32-bits-per-channel images as PSB files.

Note:

Most other applications and older versions of Photoshop cannot support documents with file sizes larger than 2 GB.

OpenEXR format

OpenEXR (EXR) is a file format used by the visual effects industry for HDR images. The film format has high color fidelity and a dynamic range suitable for use in motion picture production. Developed by Industrial Light and Magic, OpenEXR supports multiple lossless or lossy compression methods. An OpenEXR file supports transparency and works only with 32 bits/channel images; the file format stores the values as 16 bits/channel floating point.

PDF

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a flexible, cross-platform, cross-application file format. Based on the PostScript imaging model, PDF files accurately display and preserve fonts, page layouts, and both vector and bitmap graphics. In addition, PDF files can contain electronic document search and navigation features such as electronic links. PDF supports 16‑bits-per-channel images. Adobe Acrobat also has a Touch Up Object tool for minor editing of images in a PDF. For more information about working with images in PDFs, see Acrobat Help.

Note:

The Touch Up Object tool is mainly for last-minute revisions to images and objects. It’s best to do image editing in Photoshop before saving as PDF.

Photoshop recognizes two types of PDF files:

Photoshop PDF files

Created when Preserve Photoshop Editing Capabilities is selected in the Save Adobe PDF dialog box. Photoshop PDF files can contain only a single image.

Photoshop PDF format supports all color modes (except Multichannel) and features that are supported in standard Photoshop format. Photoshop PDF also supports JPEG and ZIP compression, except for Bitmap-mode images, which use CCITT Group 4 compression.

Standard PDF files

Created when Preserve Photoshop Editing Capabilities is deselected in the Save Adobe PDF dialog box, or by using another application such as Adobe Acrobat or Illustrator. Standard PDF files can contain multiple pages and images.

When you open a standard PDF file, Photoshop rasterizes vector and text content, while preserving pixel content.

PICT File

PICT format is used in Mac OS graphics and page-layout applications as an intermediary file format for transferring images between applications. PICT format supports RGB images with a single alpha channel and Indexed Color, Grayscale, and Bitmap mode images without alpha channels.

Note:

Though Photoshop can open raster PICT files, it cannot open QuickDraw PICTs or save to PICT format.

PICT Resource

(Mac OS) A PICT resource is a PICT file but takes a name and resource ID number. The PICT Resource format supports RGB images with a single alpha channel, and Indexed Color, Grayscale, and Bitmap mode images without alpha channels.

You can use the Import command or the Open command to open a PICT resource. However, Photoshop cannot save to this format.

Pixar format

The Pixar format is designed specifically for high-end graphics applications, such as those used for rendering three-dimensional images and animation. Pixar format supports RGB and grayscale images with a single alpha channel.

PNG format

Developed as a patent-free alternative to GIF, Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format is used for lossless compression and for display of images on the web. Unlike GIF, PNG supports 24‑bit images and produces background transparency without jagged edges; however, some web browsers do not support PNG images. PNG format supports RGB, Indexed Color, Grayscale, and Bitmap mode images without alpha channels. PNG preserves transparency in grayscale and RGB images.

Portable Bit Map format

The Portable Bit Map (PBM) file format, also known as Portable Bitmap Library and Portable Binary Map, supports monochrome bitmaps (1 bit per pixel). The format can be used for lossless data transfer because many applications support this format. You can even edit or create such files within a simple text editor.

The Portable Bit Map format serves as the common language of a large family of bitmap conversion filters including Portable FloatMap (PFM), Portable Graymap (PGM), Portable Pixmap (PPM), and Portable Anymap (PNM). While the PBM file format stores monochrome bitmaps, PGM additionally stores grayscale bitmaps, and PPM can also store color bitmaps. PNM is not a different file format in itself, but a PNM file can hold PBM, PGM, or PPM files. PFM is a floating-point image format that can be used for 32‑bits-per-channel HDR files.

Radiance format

Radiance (HDR) is a 32‑bits-per-channel file format used for HDR images. This format was originally developed for the Radiance system, a professional tool for visualizing lighting in virtual environments. The file format stores the quantity of light per pixel instead of just the colors to be displayed onscreen. The levels of luminosity accommodated by the Radiance format are far higher than the 256 levels in 8‑bits-per-channel image file formats. Radiance (HDR) files are often used in 3D modeling.

Scitex CT

Scitex Continuous Tone (CT) format is used for high-end image processing on Scitex computers. Contact Creo to obtain utilities for transferring files saved in Scitex CT format to a Scitex system. Scitex CT format supports CMYK, RGB, and grayscale images and does not support alpha channels.

CMYK images saved in Scitex CT format often have extremely large file sizes. These files are generated for input using a Scitex scanner. Images saved in Scitex CT format are printed to film using a Scitex rasterizing unit, which produces separations using a patented Scitex halftoning system. This system produces very few moiré patterns and is often demanded in professional color work—for example, ads in magazines.

TIFF

Tagged-Image File Format (TIFF, TIF) is used to exchange files between applications and computer platforms. TIFF is a flexible bitmap image format supported by virtually all paint, image-editing, and page-layout applications. Also, virtually all desktop scanners can produce TIFF images. TIFF documents have a maximum file size of 4 GB.

TIFF format supports CMYK, RGB, Lab, Indexed Color, and Grayscale images with alpha channels and Bitmap mode images without alpha channels. Photoshop can save layers in a TIFF file; however, if you open the file in another application, only the flattened image is visible. Photoshop can also save notes, transparency, and multiresolution pyramid data in TIFF format.

In Photoshop, TIFF image files have a bit depth of 8, 16, or 32 bits per channel. You can save HDR images as 32‑bits-per-channel TIFF files.

WBMP format

WBMP format is the standard format for optimizing images for mobile devices, such as cell phones. WBMP supports 1‑bit color, which means that WBMP images contain only black and white pixels.

WebP format

You can easily save your 8-bit RGB Photoshop documents in the WebP file format. WebP format provides both lossless and lossy compression for working with images on the web. 

To open and save WebP images directly from Photoshop, you can simply download and install the WebPShop plug-in. To learn more, see work with WebP files in Photoshop.

Note:

If a supported file format does not appear in the appropriate dialog box or submenu, you may need to install the format’s plug-in module.


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Adobe MAX 2024

Adobe MAX
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Oct 14–16 Miami Beach and online

Adobe MAX

The Creativity Conference

Oct 14–16 Miami Beach and online

Adobe MAX 2024

Adobe MAX
The Creativity Conference

Oct 14–16 Miami Beach and online

Adobe MAX

The Creativity Conference

Oct 14–16 Miami Beach and online