by Benjamin Martorell on December 14, 2022
What is a PNG file?
Are you confused about what apng filein Adobe Photoshop is it? If so, that's perfectly understandable because there are a lot of pictures.file formatsphotographers available. The most common ones are JPEG, GIF, TIFF and, of course, PNG.
What complicates things even more is that each one has a specific purpose. In this article, we will look at the PNG format. You will learn what a PNG file is, what it is for and how to create one.
PNG, which is pronounced “ping” and the file name is .png, stands for Portable Network Graphics. It's an image format that web designers use to build websites because it supports transparent backgrounds and/or semitransparent images (in fact, it's the only image format that supports transparency).
This capability makes PNG ideal for logos and dynamic website graphics. So if you want an awesome looking website that your visitors will love, make sure you use images in PNG format.
You've probably seen PNG images before, e.g. B. When there is a transparent logo on a photographer's photo so you can see the photothrough thethe logo. In this case, the transparency exists to subtly promote the photographer who took the photo (and prevent anyone else from using it).
A data reduction technique calledlossless compressioncreates PNG files. This means that if someone decides to compress an image, none of the data it contains will be lost. In other words, the PNG file remains identical to the original image file. This differs from lossy compression, where information is lost when a file image is compressed.
Another benefit of PNG is that it supports grayscale and PNG-8, PNG-24, and PNG 32 color spaces, giving you the ability to display a wide range of colors.
However, this means that PNG files can be large, which is why images are often in Jpeg format (JPEG files are lossy, meaning data is erased every time they are unzipped).
Another advantage of the PNG format is that it is patent-free, which means anyone can use it without a license.
What programs open PNG files?
Many programs open PNG files. This includes standard image viewing programs, image editing programs likeLightroomand Adobe Photoshop and web browsers. In either of these programs, you can view a PNG file by selecting "Open" from the drop-down menu or simply dragging and dropping it into the program or a web browser.
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Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom and some of the most popular tools used by photographers, graphic designers and web developers for their skills.
Easiest Ways to Create PNG File in Adobe Photoshop
Creating a PNG file in Adobe Photoshop is a simple process. Depending on what you want to achieve with an image or graphic, it could be just a few steps or several.
Steps to create a PNG file in Photoshop:
1. The easiest way is just "Save As"
- cliqueFilefrom the top menu and selectOpen
- Select the image file and clickOpen
- cliqueFilefrom the top menu and selectSave as

- In the PNG dialog box, select atFormatMenu

- cliquesave not computer
While this is a quick way to create a PNG file, it doesn't change the image in any way, for example. B. It becomes transparent or the background is removed to isolate the subject(s). These are the most common actions for PNG files. Follow the steps below to learn how to do both.
2. Create a transparent Photoshop image
- Open the file by repeating the steps described in number 1.
- Open the Layers panel if it's not already visible on the right. To do this, click onwindow, then selectlayers.

- tightenbackgroundLayer in the Layers panel and clickOKin the dialog box that appears. This will unlock the layer so you can change it.

- tightenopacitydrop-down menu in the Layers panel and choose a percentage below 100%. The deeper you go, the more transparent the image becomes.
- cliqueFilefrom the top menu and select Save As and select PNG from the drop-down menu. now you have onephotoshop transparent image.
3. Remove background to isolate subject
- Open the file by repeating the steps described in number 1.
- Add Transparency Layer: Click Top Menulayer, then selectNeu🇧🇷 You will now see a new empty layer in the Layers panel that looks like a gray and white checkerboard. Photoshop automatically sets it to transparent.

- Drag the new layer below the background image layer in the Layers panel.
- tightennew shiftto select it.
Tip: Instead of creating a new layer, you can also click on the little lock icon to unlock the background layer. Anything you delete from the image will become transparent.

- Select subject: On the left toolbar, select theMagic wand.

- cliqueselect subjectt at the top of the window. Photoshop automatically selects what it believes to be the subject(s). You will see "marching ants" around the selection.

- Erase background: clickChoosefrom the top menu and selectVice versa🇧🇷 This will select the area of the image you want to remove around your subject.

- Pressextinguishon your keyboard. The gray and white checkerboard pattern of the transparent background is now visible.
- PressCommand (control on PCs) + Dto remove ants on the march.
Tip: you may find that some areas are missing from the selection. For example, you might think that shadows are the edges of your subject. To fix this, click
Subtract from selection icon at the top of the window, then use the Magic Wand tool to remove more unwanted areas.
The pros and cons of PNG files
You read at the beginning of this article what a PNG file is and what it is used for. You've also seen some of its advantages, including lossless compression (no data is lost and the image quality remains the same) and it supports PNG-8 (256 colors), PNG-24 (over 16 million colors) and PNG - 32 (PNG 24 + 8 for transparent backgrounds) color spaces.
Other advantages include the wide range of transparency from invisible (0%) to fully visible (100%), you can add metadata and create multilayer PNG files. Also, PNG files can be compressed 10-30% more than GIF files.
The PNG format has some disadvantages. Unlike GIF, which stands for Graphics Interchange Format, PNG does not support animation. Also, as noted above, PNG files are generally larger than JPEG files. This can be a problem if you don't have a lot of storage space.
Fortunately, for most people, these issues are usually not a concern, as PNG files are primarily designed for websites.
That's it! You should be on your way to creating PNG files in Photoshop using the information you've learned in this tutorial. Soon you will be able to create a logo to place on your images or create an attractive website.
If you found this tutorial helpful, you might also be interested in these articles:
- How to Optimize Your Images for the Web (Step by Step)
- How to Add a Watermark Using Photoshop and Lightroom
- Your Quick Guide to Layers in Photoshop
11 best places to sell photos online and make money
121 Best Free Lightroom Presets You'll Fall In Love With
17 Best Photo Editors for Photographers (2022 Ultimate Guide)
How to Build a WordPress Photography Website (Step by Step)
If you found this article helpful, please continue to follow us.TwittereFacebookto read more of our free WordPress tutorials and other resources.
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FAQs
How do I create a PNG file? ›
Converting an Image With Windows
Open the image you want to convert into PNG by clicking File > Open. Navigate to your image and then click “Open.” Once the file is open, click File > Save As. In the next window make sure you have PNG selected from the drop-down list of formats, and then click “Save.”
Navigate to the Convert PDF page on Adobe Acrobat online. Click the blue button labeled “Select a file” or drag and drop the file into the drop zone to upload your PDF. Choose PNG from the file format drop-down menu.
How to save a Photoshop File as a PNG with transparent background? ›- On the top toolbar, select the > File menu.
- Select the > Save As option.
- From the Format options, choose either TIFF, PNG, or GIF.
- If you've picked the GIF or TIFF format, make sure to check the > Save Transparency box on the bottom left.
How do I make a PNG file? You can create a PNG file in many image-editing apps, including Photoshop and tools such as Canva Pro. In addition, some online editors let you create PNGs, including Pixomatic Online Editor and PIXLR.
How do I make an empty PNG file? ›- Step 1: Add the Image to Microsoft Word. ...
- Step 2: Double Click on The Image. ...
- Step 3: Choose 'Remove Background' ...
- Step 4: Remove Background or Make Part Of Image Transparent. ...
- Step 5: Save File As Image.
1. Select File and choose Save As. From the options, select PNG.
Why Cannot save as PNG in Photoshop? ›The most common reason Photoshop can't save a PNG file is that the color mode of your project is set to CMYK, Lab Color, or Multichannel. To change the color mode of your document to be compatible with a PNG file, go to Image > Mode > RGB Color. Now you can export your file as a PNG!
How do I make multiple PNG files? ›To convert multiple files simultaneously: Select any number of PNG files using the 'Choose Files' button or dragging them to the file area. Click on 'Start Conversion' to convert files in bulk from PNG format. Once the files have been converted, download the converted images in a zip file.