Why is my Photoshop export so big?
Three things set the size of an exported image: the number of pixels, the format and the quality level. Camera files have 24 MP or more; a JPEG saved at level 12 keeps detail nobody sees; and a PNG of a photo is lossless and huge. The ppi value (72, 300) does not change file size at all unless Resample is on: see image DPI for the web.
How do I resize with Image Size?
- Choose Image > Image Size (Alt+Ctrl+I on Windows, Option+Command+I on Mac).
- Tick Resample and pick Bicubic Sharper (reduction), or leave Automatic, which chooses a reduction method when you downsize.
- Set the unit to Pixels, keep width and height linked, and type the width, for example 1600.
- Click OK. The Image Size figure at the top of the dialog is the uncompressed size in memory, not the file size you will get.
Which export option should I use?
Export As (File > Export > Export As, Alt+Shift+Ctrl+W or Option+Shift+Command+W) is the modern dialog: choose PNG, JPG or GIF, set the quality, change the width or Scale percentage, set Metadata to None and keep Convert to sRGB on. It shows an estimated file size and resizes on export, so the document is untouched. Its JPG quality control is coarser than Save for Web's.
Save for Web (Legacy) (File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy), Alt+Shift+Ctrl+S or Option+Shift+Command+S) is older but still the best for judging size: the 2-Up and 4-Up tabs show versions side by side with the file size under each, Quality runs 0–100, and the Image Size panel resizes on export. The built-in JPEG High preset uses quality 60. Its Optimize menu also has Optimize to File Size, which searches for a quality that meets a KB target.
Neither dialog writes WebP or AVIF. Use File > Save a Copy for those: WebP has been a standard format since Photoshop 23.2 (2022) and AVIF since the June 2025 release.
What do Photoshop's JPEG quality levels 0–12 mean?
File > Save a Copy (Alt+Ctrl+S or Option+Command+S) with JPEG opens JPEG Options with a 0–12 scale. Tick Preview to see the estimated size as you move the slider. This scale is Photoshop's own: level 8 is not the same as 80 in other apps.
| Level | Label | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | Low | Tiny previews where size matters more than looks |
| 5–7 | Medium | Web thumbnails and small images |
| 8–9 | High | Web photos and email attachments |
| 10–12 | Maximum | Print files and masters you will edit again |
Under Format Options, Baseline Optimized usually saves a few percent over Baseline (“Standard”) with identical quality, and Progressive loads in passes on slow connections.
Recommended settings
Typical results for photographs. Flat graphics and screenshots compress differently; export those as PNG or WebP.
| Use | Width | Save for Web quality | Save a Copy level | Typical JPEG size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo inside a web page | 1600 px | 60–70 | 7–8 | 150–400 KB |
| Full-width hero | 1920–2400 px | 60–70 | 8 | 250–500 KB |
| Thumbnail | 400–800 px | 60 | 6–7 | 20–80 KB |
| Email attachment | 1600–2048 px | 70 | 8 | 300–700 KB |
| Full resolution | 90–100 | 10–12 | Several MB |
How do I hit an exact file size?
Optimize to File Size gets close, but for strict limits (a portal that rejects anything over 100 KB) it is quicker to export a high-quality JPG or PNG and run it through the compressor: type the target and it finds the highest quality that fits, keeping the format. It runs in the browser and removes metadata too. Exact targets such as 100 KB have their own pages.
For the reasoning behind quality numbers, read JPEG quality settings explained; for WebP exports, the best WebP quality setting.