If you've ever had trouble saving files as JPEG or PNG in Photoshop, you're not the only one. It's frustrating when a simple export becomes a hassle, but the good news is that it's usually easy to fix.
1. Start by restarting Photoshop and checking for updates
Sometimes, there is an error that prevents you from saving Photoshop files as JPEG or PNG. Restarting the application is the easiest way to fix this problem.
To exit Photoshop, enter Photoshop at the top of the screen and select Quit Photoshop. If the app is unresponsive, try force quitting.

If quitting Photoshop doesn't work, checking for updates may be a better option. An update may have fixed the error.
- Open the Adobe Creative Cloud application on your computer.
- Select Updates on the right side.
- Click Check for Updates.
- Update your Photoshop software if there is an option to do so.

2. Reset Photoshop options
Photoshop preferences may be causing problems and preventing images from being saved. The easy fix here is to reset your preferences. Re-adding the option later takes time, but the effort is worth it to get the save settings working as they should.
Follow these steps to reset your Photoshop options:
- Navigate to Photoshop at the top of the screen and expand the drop-down menu.
- Select Settings > General.
- Click Reset Preferences at Quit. Then, close and reopen the application to reset the options to default.
- After resetting Photoshop options, try saving the file in JPEG and PNG formats.

3. Change image resolution
Adobe Photoshop may have difficulty saving your file in the desired format if the size is too large. This may affect you the most when you work with RAW, PSD or PNG.

Here's how to change image resolution in Photoshop:
- Go Image in the top toolbar.
- Click Image Size after expanding the drop-down menu.
- Change your file size.
Tips: If you don't know where to start, expand Fit To and select the new size. You should also consider adjusting pixels per inch; If this number is higher, your file size will be larger.

Make sure your images are still high quality enough for their intended use. For example, you'll need a larger size if you're working with prints than if you're sharing images on social media. You should leave around 70 pixels per inch for most online images. If you're selling your art online, a size closer to 300 pixels per inch is better in most cases.
4. Change color mode
The file's color mode significantly affects the exported file by including additional information. For example, color mode Multichannel designed for specialized printing and has more data than PNG files. This is one of the most common Photoshop errors.
Use RGB Color Mode to ensure that you can save your file as JPEG/PNG. To do that, navigate to Image > Mode and tick it RGB Color. Your changes will take effect immediately.

5. Check the bit channel
The bit depth value indicates the amount of data stored per color channel, determining image quality. However, if the value is too high, the image will be too large for Photoshop to save. You should keep the bit depth at 8-16 bits/channel. Some JPEG files can support 32-bit color, but using them can lead to file size problems.

Switching between different bit depth values when you're working on a design will change your image slightly, so it's better to choose the correct bit depth value at the beginning of the project. To adjust this value, go back Image > Mode and choose 8 Bits/Channel or 16 Bits/Channel.
6. Try using Quick Export
Although used Save As or Export As and making more comprehensive adjustments is fine, but you can always use Quick Export if neither method works. You can change the Quick Export settings to save as JPEG or PNG. Here's how:
- Go to the Photoshop tab and select Settings > Export.
- In Quick Export Formatchoose between JPEG, PNG or GIF.
- Select OK.

After changing the Quick Export settings, enter File and move the cursor over Export. Now, choose Quick Export as PNG (or JPEG) and export your images.

7. Try saving via keyboard shortcut
If you can't use the regular save function, try using a keyboard shortcut.
- Press Ctrl/Shift/S (Windows) or Command/Shift/S (Mac). The save pop-up window will appear.
- Select JPEG or PNG from the drop-down menu Format.
- Select Save.
8. Save the file as PSD first
Newer versions of Photoshop will not let you save as JPEG or PNG if you have not saved as PSD first. This is Photoshop's way of ensuring you don't lose editable files in case your computer suddenly shuts down or something else happens.
You can use keyboard shortcuts to save files as PSD. Follow the same steps in the previous section, but choose PSD instead of JPEG/PNG. Then try importing your file again and saving in those formats.
9. Save in another format then convert
If nothing has worked so far, you can try saving the file in another format and then converting it to JPEG on your computer. We recommend using TIFF, but these steps also work when converting PSD images. The instructions below are for Mac, but you can also add image conversion functionality to your Windows 11 context menu.

Here's what you need to do on your Mac:
- Access the folder where you saved the file.
- Press Control and your trackpad on the .tif file and select Quick Actions > Convert Image.
- Select JPEG or PNG from the drop-down menu Format.

Not being able to save files as JPEG or PNG in Photoshop is really annoying, but fortunately, there are a few things you can try to fix this problem. Some ways are more complicated, while others require just a simple reset. In many cases, your photos will not save in these formats as they are too large; You can fix this problem by reducing your file size.