Save a file to e-mail

Save a file to enclose in an e-mail message using the Save for Web option.

When you save an image to enclose in an e-mail message, you want to minimize file size, while maintaining image quality. The Save for Web option lets you resize an image as well as preview different optimization settings. Each preview includes file size and estimated download time. Thus, without altering the original image, you can see the results of various settings and choose the setting that best meets your needs.

Open the image in Photoshop, and choose File > Save for Web.

In the Save for Web dialog box, click the 4-Up tab so that you can compare four different optimization settings. The Save for Web dialog box displays the original image with three previews using different settings.

Click a preview to select it, and then choose a file format preset from the Preset pop-up menu to see the difference in quality. Repeat as needed for each preview. Choose presets based on the file format appropriate for your image:

• JPEG for continuous tone images, such as photographs. JPEG compression preserves a broad range of color and subtle variations in brightness, but does not support transparency.
• GIF for animations, solid-color images, and images with repetitive color, such as line art and logos. GIF supports transparency.

If you want to resize the image, click the Image size tab on the right side of the dialog box. Enter the desired dimensions for Width and Height. Click the Apply button in the tab. (When you save the file, Photoshop resizes only the optimized version.)

Select the preview that best meets your needs, and click Save.

In the Save Optimized As dialog box, locate the folder in which you want to save the image, type a name for the file, and click Save.