How to Export PNG and JPEG Images from Photoshop

Photoshop can export a document as PNG or JPEG without replacing the editable PSD. Use PNG when you need transparency, sharp interface graphics or lossless compression; use JPEG for photographs that benefit from a smaller file.

Image open in Photoshop before export — Open the document and check its size, color and transparency before exporting.

PNG vs JPEG

Feature	PNG	JPEG
Transparency	Supported	Not supported
Compression	Lossless	Lossy
Best for	Logos, screenshots, icons, graphics with hard edges	Photographs and continuous-tone images
Animation	A normal Photoshop PNG export is static	Static

Export a PNG

Make sure any area that should be transparent displays the checkerboard. Hide or remove an unwanted background layer.
Choose File > Export > Export As, select PNG, and enable Transparency if required. You can also use File > Save a Copy and choose PNG.
Confirm the dimensions, scale and color-space options, then choose a new filename and export location.
Open the exported PNG to verify transparency, edges and final size.

The legacy screenshots use File > Save As. Depending on the Photoshop version and document features, PNG or JPEG may instead appear under Save a Copy or Export.

Save As command in an older Photoshop interface — The historical workflow opens the format dialog from File, Save As.

Selecting PNG in Photoshop Save As — Choose PNG when transparency or lossless graphics matter.

Photoshop PNG options dialog — Review the PNG options, save the file, and inspect the result.

Export a JPEG

If the document contains transparency, add or confirm the background color you want. JPEG cannot store transparent pixels.
Choose File > Export > Export As or File > Save a Copy, then select JPEG.
Choose a quality level while previewing both file size and visible artifacts. Use the lowest setting that still looks clean at the intended display size.
For common web use, convert to sRGB when appropriate and retain copyright metadata only if you need it.

Selecting JPEG in Photoshop — Choose JPEG for a flattened photographic copy.

Photoshop JPEG quality options — Balance image quality against file size instead of automatically choosing Maximum.

PNG and JPEG files exported from Photoshop — Verify the exported copies in their destination folder.

Important limits

Layers: PNG and JPEG are delivery formats; save a PSD or PSB master if you need editable layers.
Animated GIF input: exporting an animated document as PNG or JPEG creates a still image, not an animation.
Repeated JPEG saves: each lossy re-encoding can introduce more artifacts. Return to the master file for a new export.
Unexpected format list: document bit depth, color mode or unsupported features may limit available formats. Save a master copy before converting.

Export many files at once

For a batch, choose File > Scripts > Image Processor. It can create JPEG copies, resize them, and apply sRGB conversion consistently. Test the settings on a few files before running a large folder.

Adobe's Save a Copy guide explains the current non-destructive save workflow, while its graphics-format reference covers JPEG details. For related tasks, learn about creating animated images, compare beginner-friendly photo editors, or follow the Photoshop print-export guide.