Summary
- It's always a good idea to save the original version of a file separately.
- Use JPG for files with lots of colours, use GIF for files with fewer colours.
- Use the lowest image quality setting you can get away with.
- When altering the compression setting, the change may not be apparent until you open the file next time.
- Be careful about making consecutive changes to a file, eg don't reduce then enlarge an image - use "undo" instead.
FAQ
I try to convert an image to a different format but my program won't let me.
Some formats can't be converted directly to certain other formats. Try converting the image to the "RGB" format (it will be one of the options), then to the format you need.
My program won't let me save as a GIF
This can happen if the image has more than 256 colours. You need to change the file mode to "Indexed Colour" - consult your program's help file to find out how to do this.
When I upload an image to my website it doesn't work.
Assuming your file is a JPG or GIF, the cause is most likely an HTML error in the web page rather than a problem with the image file. See our Introduction to Web Design tutorial.
How do I save an image from a website?
Go to the web page, right-click the image and select "Save Image As..." (or whatever equivalent option your browser uses). Make sure you have permission to do so - otherwise it's theft.
How can I create a snapshot of the display on my computer monitor?
Use your keyboard's "Print Screen" button. This is like taking a photo of the current display on your monitor and copying it to your clipboard. Open your graphics program and create a new file. If necessary, specify the size of the new file as "current clipboard". Then select "Paste" and the snapshot is inserted into the file for you to edit and save. This simple method is how we created the Photoshop 7 screenshots for this tutorial.
Note: If pressing the "Print Screen" key doesn't work, try holding down the "Alt" key while you press "Print Screen".
The End
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