Optimize an image for the Web in ImageReady

Optimize an image for the Web in ImageReady.

When you optimize an image for the Web, you must balance maintaining image quality with minimizing file size and thus download time. The 4-Up tab in ImageReady lets you 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 optimization setting that best meets your needs.

Open the file in ImageReady.

Click the Optimize tab to bring the Optimize palette to the front or, if the palette isn't open, choose Window > Optimize.

In the Optimize palette, choose one of the following file formats from the Format menu:

• 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.
• PNG-8 for solid-color images with sharp detail. Note that many older browser applications do not support the PNG format.
• PNG-24 for continuous tone images, such as photographs. PNG-24 preserves transparency, a broad range of color, and subtle variations in brightness. Note that many older browser applications do not support the PNG format.
• WBMP for black and white images that were designed for display on mobile devices, such as cell phones.

Click the 4-Up tab in the document window. The 4-Up tab displays the original image with three previews using different optimization settings. The settings, the file size, and estimated download time appear below each preview.

If you want to view different settings, click a preview to select it, and then choose a file format preset from the Preset menu in the Optimize palette.

Select the preview that best meets your needs, and choose File > Save Optimized.

In the Save Optimized dialog box, locate the folder in which you want to save the image. Make sure the Save As Type displays the correct file type, and click Save.