Setting preferences for saving files

In Photoshop Elements, you can set preferences for saving image previews, using file extensions, and maximizing file compatibility.

To set file saving preferences:

Choose Edit > Preferences > Saving Files, and set the following options:

Image Previews Choose an option for saving image previews: Never Save to save files without previews, Always Save to save files with specified previews, or Ask When Saving to assign previews on a file-by-file basis.

In Mac OS, you can also select one or more of the following preview types (to speed the saving of files and minimize file size, select only the previews you need):

File Extension (Windows) Choose an option for the three-character file extensions that indicate a file's format: Use Upper Case to append file extensions using uppercase characters or Use Lower Case to append file extensions using lowercase characters.

Append File Extension (Mac OS) File extensions are necessary for files that you want to use on or transfer to a Windows system. Choose an option for appending extensions to filenames: Never to save files without file extensions, Always to append file extensions to filenames, or Ask When Saving to append file extensions on a file-by-file basis. Select Use Lower Case to append file extensions using lowercase characters.

In Mac OS, to append a file extension to the current file, hold down Option as you choose a file format from the Save As dialog box.

Maximize Backwards Compatibility in Photoshop Format Select this option to maximize file compatibility with earlier versions of Photoshop and with other applications. This includes saving merged data for applications that don't support layers and saving a rasterized version of each layer for applications that don't support vector data.

Note: Selecting Maximize Backwards Compatibility results in larger file sizes and increases the length of time required to save files.

Enable Advanced TIFF Save Options Select this option if you want to set advanced options when saving a file in TIFF format. (See TIFF format.)

Recent File List Contains: _ Files Enter a value from 0 to 30 to specify how many files are available in the File > Open Recent submenu. (See Opening files.)

To display a preview file icon (Windows only):

1 Save the file in Photoshop format with a thumbnail preview.

2 Right-click the file on the desktop (or in any Windows or Photoshop Elements dialog box that displays a file list), and choose Properties from the context menu that appears.

3 Click the Photoshop Image tab.

4 Select an option for generating thumbnails, and click OK.

Preview icons appear on the desktop and in file lists (when the view is set to Large Icons).

Saving Images > Setting preferences for saving files