How to Shrink a Picture With Photoshop

Smaller versions of pictures are useful when creating a Web page. You can shrink a photo to a more manageable size using Photoshop.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet Access
• Adobe Photoshop

1. Start Photoshop. From the File menu, select Open.
2. Locate the file you want to shrink and click Open.
3. From the Image menu, select Image Size. A dialog box opens.
4. Select Percent from the drop-down box next to Width. Type the percentage you want to decrease the picture by in the Width box. The Height box will automatically change.
5. If the results are not what you anticipated, open the Edit menu and choose Undo to return the image to its original size.
6. Save your photo when finished by clicking File and selecting Save or Save As.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the image is in RGB mode. Images in Index mode will be distorted when shrunk.
• As you make changes, the information in the dialog box will change to reflect height, number of pixels, and other image property information.
• You can also reduce the image by changing the number of pixels, the height/width in inches, and other options using the drop-down box.
• Be sure that the Constrain box is checked to keep the image from becoming distorted.
• Check the File Size box if you will be using the image for a Web page or disk, or are concerned about file size for other reasons.
• Save your reduced picture under a different name, such as shrunkimage.jpg, to avoid losing the original.
• Obtain permission before using any unlicensed or copyrighted clip art.
• Do not use images from another Web page without permission from the owner of the site.