How to Make GIFs in Photoshop CS4

One of the keys to successful websites lies in creating a really efficient website that loads fast. And one of the best ways to accomplish this is to make sure that as many of your images as possible are in GIF format. GIF images are smaller and therefore load faster. They also have the added advantage of preserving any transparency in the image. It is quite easy in Photoshop to convert other image formats into GIFs.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start Photoshop. Then go to File, and select "Open." In the window that opens, browse to the image file you want to work on and double-click on it.

2. Make any necessary changes to the image, such as cropping or resizing. Go to File, and select "Save As." Name the file. In "Type," select "PSD."

3. Go to File, and select "Save for Web." In the dialog box that opens, go to the upper right and change the file type to GIF. Click on the "Four Up" tab. Then, from the multiple previews presented, select the version that has the smallest file size listed below it, while still preserving the image quality.

4. Click "Enter" on your keyboard. Then name the file and click "OK." The GIF is now ready to be used.

References

• Saving For The Web
• Photoshop