Converting to indexed color

Converting to indexed color reduces the number of colors in the image to at most 256--the standard number of colors supported by the GIF and PNG-8 formats and many Web browsers. This conversion reduces file size by deleting color information from the image.

Note: To convert to indexed color, you must start with either a grayscale or RGB image.

To convert an image to indexed color:

1 Choose Image > Mode > Indexed Color.

2 Click OK to flatten layers.

Note: This will flatten all visible layers and discard hidden layers.

For grayscale images, the conversion happens automatically. For RGB images, the Indexed Color dialog box appears.

3 Select Preview the Indexed Color dialog box to display a preview of the changes.

4 Specify conversion options as described in the following sections.

5 Click OK.

Working with Color > Choosing a color mode > Converting to indexed color