Photoshop Exporting JPEGs at 96 DPI Instead of 300 DPI - How to Fix?

[guitarjorge24]

in Photoshop CC 2015.1 I have made sure that my image is at 300dpi by going to "Image > Image Size" and setting the resolution to 300 pixels per inch. However, when I go to "File >  Export > Export As > JPG" the image is exported at 96 dpi. I know that PS is exporting at 96 dpi because when I open the exported image with PS, the resolution is set to 96 dpi. As consequence, when I import the exported images into Acrobat, the PDF pages look too big at 100% zoom. I want to use 300dpi because that way the image (which has a resolution of 2500 x 3500 px) will look at a reasonable size at 100% zoom on the average PC screen when seen through Adobe Acrobat. I've also tried exporting from PS using "File > Export > Save for Web" but the results were the same.

So far the only solution that has worked using PS is to convert the PSD to an JPG by using "File > Save As > JPG". However, this method doesn't provide as many export settings as "File > Export". Is it not possible to export JPEGs at 300 dpi using "File > Export" ?

My other workaround is to use a 3rd party software called XnConvert to change the dpi of the exported image without changing its pixel dimensions.

[Per Berntsen · Accepted solution]

Don't use Export, it's an unfinished feature that will strip out the color profile, causing images to appear over saturated.

And it probably defaults to 96 ppi, I don't think you can change that.

PPI is metadata that is used by printer drivers to calculate print size, and it has no effect on screen viewing. Pixel dimensions are all that matters.

If you want to export several images at once, take a look at the image processor, located under File > Scripts.

I never use it, (I do things like this in Lightroom), but I think you can select images in Bridge and run it from there.

[guitarjorge24]

Thanks, it worked. In Photoshop, choosing "File > Scripts > Image Processor" exported it at 300 dpi although I don't get many export options as File > Export.

How would you do the same in Lightroom? I can't find "File > Scripts > image processor" on Lightroom. I would like to export images on Lightroom at their original dpi (the dpi of the imported image) instead of all images being exported at the dpi that I set in Lightroom's export options.

[Per Berntsen]

How would you do the same in Lightroom? I can't find "File > Scripts > image processor" on Lightroom. I would like to export images on Lightroom at their original dpi (the dpi of the imported image) instead of all images being exported at the dpi that I set in Lightroom's export options.

You would select the image(s) in rhe Lightroom Library, and click Export. Unless you want them all at the same ppi, you would  have to set the ppi for each image in the export dialog, and export one file at a time. Or, you could create export presets for different ppi values.

But again - for screen viewing, ppi is irrelevant and meaningless, it only comes into play when printing.

If the pixel dimensions are the same, the image will display identically - whether the ppi is set to 1 or 1000.

[gener7]

Per Berntsen wrote:

Don't use Export, it's an unfinished feature that will strip out the color profile, causing images to appear over saturated.

And it probably defaults to 96 ppi, I don't think you can change that.

PPI is metadata that is used by printer drivers to calculate print size, and it has no effect on screen viewing. Pixel dimensions are all that matters.

PPI can be changed in an image without touching the pixels. Image > Image Size and uncheck Resample. Then you can set either the printed size or PPI to what you need.

PPI does matter when converting an image to PDF in Acrobat (not Reader) because it will also affect how it displays at 100% in Acrobat, giving an accurate idea of how it will print.

Take two documents, one at 72, the other at 300, and in Acrobat, File > Create PDF from File, select those files and you will see Acrobat displays them like View > Print Size in Photoshop. Both will be different at 100%. If you check Acrobat's on screen rulers, they are close to physical inches.

It still stands that pixels and not ppi are screen units, but you should know how Acrobat is viewing the files.

Gene

[Per Berntsen]

It still stands that pixels and not ppi are screen units, but you should know how Acrobat is viewing the files.

I rarely use Acrobat, so thanks for enlightening me. Good to know.

[Jeff Arola]

File>Export As is still very much a work in progress and doesn't save the necessary metadata for the resolution.

I would either use File>Save As>Jpeg or use File>Export>Save for Web>Jpeg and set the Metadata to All

[guitarjorge24]

I tried doing "File>Export>Save for Web>Jpeg and set the Metadata to All" but it still exported it at 96dpi. Thanks anyway.

[gener7]

guitarjorge24 wrote:

I tried doing "File>Export>Save for Web>Jpeg and set the Metadata to All" but it still exported it at 96dpi. Thanks anyway.

You may have to use the Image Size method to check for and set 300 ppi.

Gene

[Jeff Arola]

Which operating system are you using?

So when you use File>Export>Save for Web with Metadata set to All and then open that image in photoshop and go to Image>Image Size, the Resolution still says 96 instead of 300?

In photoshop cc 2015.1.2 on mac os x 10.11.3 it works; that is, Save for Web saved as a jpeg with Metadata set to All keeps the 300 resolution with metadata set to all.

Have you updated cc 2015 to version 2015.1.2?

[Code_Beagle]

Not sure if this is still an issue, but the 72 dpi output happens to me when I use art boards and use the 'export as' feature. If this is the case for you, then try going to File > Export > Artboards to Files instead. This is a little bit slower, but it uses the document settings for the artboards and can output 300 dpi images in bulk without an issue.

[justinchi18]

Thanks for this! This was my problem. Had to File>Export>Artboards to Files and choose the JPG format.

[D Fosse]

This is less confusing if you understand what's going on:

Save For Web and Export both strip the resolution metadata from the file. The exported file does not have a ppi figure at all.

72 or 96 or whatever happens when you reopen the file into another application. Every application will have its own default figure that gets assigned, if none is there already.

Setting metadata to all lets you keep ppi - but there's normally no need for it.

[fakhrihabb]

You could try using save as... , select where to save your file, and replace the file extension from .psd to .jpeg. After that you will be prompted to select the quality. Select the maximum quality. After that, click save.

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Try "save as" it will preserve the original resolution

neilB

[Jon-M-Spear]

I'm hoping guitarjorge24 has it sorted by now.  His issue was four and a half years ago. 😉 

[NB, colourmanagement net]

strange that,

I got an Adobe email notification this week so replied 

neilB

[cherft]

I'm a rank amature so please forgive my lack of understanding of all those suggestions.

My workaround is to send my Ps modified file to Lr then export as jpg from Lr with all metadata (copyright info, etc) intact and DPI set to 300 for the printer.

One day I'll re-read all of this to understand Ps more thoroughly.

Thanks all.

[Nancy OShea]

This discussion is from 2016 and no longer relevant.  Therefore, I'm locking this.