File saving properties and preferences

Last updated on Oct 27, 2025

Learn about saving, naming, previewing, and recovering files, including format-specific settings and auto-recovery options in Adobe Photoshop.

Photoshop provides a range of options that determine how and where your files are saved, what information is preserved, and how the application handles file management.

File saving properties

Using the Save As or Save a Copy commands, you can configure various file saving options. The options available will vary based on the selected file format.

Option

Usage

As a Copy

Make a copy of your file in a different format or location without overwriting the original.

Notes

Save notes with the image.

Alpha Channels

Save the alpha channel information with the image. Deselect the option to remove alpha channels.

Spot Colors

Save the spot channel information with the image. Deselect the option to remove spot colors.

Layers

Preserve all layers in the image. If unavailable, flatten or merge all visible layers, based on the selected format.

Use Proof Setup, ICC Profile (Windows), or Embed Color Profile (macOS)

Create a color-managed document.

Save to cloud documents

Save your file to Creative Cloud for easy access on all devices and sharing.


Additional options

Image preview and filename extension options are only available when Ask When Saving is selected in the Image Previews (Windows) dropdown or the Append File Extension (macOS) dropdown in the File Handling panel of the Preferences dialog box.

Option

Usage

Thumbnail (Windows)

Save notes with the image and quickly add a small preview image to view the file in folders or dialog boxes.

Image Previews options (macOS)

Save notes with the image and quickly add a small preview image to view the file in folders or dialog boxes.

File saving preferences

When you're in the File Handling panel of the Preferences (Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences (macOS)) dialog box, customize how Photoshop manages file extensions, previews, saving options, and recovery to improve your workflow and prevent data loss.

Option

Usage

Image Previews

Save image previews as follows:

  • Never Save: Save files without previews.
  • Always Save: Save files with specified previews.
  • Ask When Saving: Set previews individually for each file.

Select one or more preview types in macOS.

File Extension (Windows)

Attach three-character extensions to define a file's format as follows:

  • Use Upper Case: Attach file extensions with uppercase characters.
  • Use Lower Case: Attach file extensions with lowercase characters.

Append File Extension (macOS)

Select an option to append extensions to filenames:

  • Never: Save files without file extensions.
  • Always: Attach file extensions to filenames.
  • Ask When Saving: Attach file extensions on a file-by-file basis.
  • Use Lower Case: Attach file extensions using lowercase characters.

Default File Location

Save files to Creative Cloud or your computer by default.

Save As to Original Folder

Default to the folder the image originated from (when checked), or the last saved folder (when unchecked).

Save in Background

Continue working in Photoshop while files are being saved.

Automatically Save Recovery Information Every:

Store crash-recovery information automatically at a specified interval.

Enable legacy "Save As"

Restore the older file saving behavior used in previous versions of Photoshop.

Do not append "copy" to filename when saving a copy

Prevent Photoshop from adding the word copy to the filename when saving a duplicate.