The most efficient way to compress multiple images simultaneously in Photoshop is by using the built-in Image Processor script, which allows you to resize and export files in batch.
When you need to reduce the file size of many photos or images, manually opening, resizing, and saving each one is incredibly time-consuming. Photoshop provides powerful automation tools to handle this task quickly. The Image Processor is one such tool, ideal for common batch operations like resizing and converting file types, which are key aspects of image compression.
Compressing Multiple Images via Scripts -- Image Processor
Using the Image Processor command, you can process a folder of images in one go. This method is excellent for tasks like resizing your images to smaller dimensions and then saving them in a compressed format like JPEG.
The reference states that this method allows you to resize multiple images and export your files as PSD, JPEG, or TIFF images. Exporting as JPEG is particularly relevant for compression, as this format uses lossy compression, and you can control the quality (and thus, file size). Resizing to smaller dimensions also significantly reduces the file size.
Here's how to use the Image Processor for batch compression:
Steps to Use the Image Processor
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Access the Image Processor:
- Open Photoshop.
- Go to
File > Scripts > Image Processor...
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Select the Images to Process:
- In the Image Processor dialog box, under Step 1: Select the images to process, choose where your original images are located. You can select a specific folder or choose to process only currently open images.
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Specify the Output Location:
- Under Step 2: Select location to save processed images, choose where the newly compressed images should be saved. You can save them in the same location (Photoshop will create a new subfolder named "JPEG", "PSD", or "TIFF" depending on your output choice) or select a different folder.
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Define File Type and Quality:
- Under Step 3: File Type, this is where you control the compression.
- Check the Save as JPEG option.
- Use the Quality slider (0-12) to set the level of compression. A lower number results in a smaller file size but lower image quality (more compression). A higher number results in a larger file size but better image quality (less compression). For web use, a quality between 6 and 8 is often a good balance.
- You can also choose to Save as PSD or Save as TIFF, but JPEG is typically used for significant compression for web or easy sharing.
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Set Resizing Options (Optional but Recommended for Compression):
- Under Step 3: File Type, check the Resize to Fit option.
- Enter maximum pixel dimensions for the Width and Height. Photoshop will resize each image so that its longest side fits within these dimensions, maintaining aspect ratio. Reducing dimensions drastically reduces file size.
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Run the Process:
- Click the Run button at the top right of the Image Processor dialog box.
Photoshop will then automatically open each image in the selected folder (or open images), apply the resizing and saving settings, and save the processed images to the specified output folder.
Using the Image Processor is a fast and efficient way to handle batch operations like compressing multiple images by combining resizing and saving as JPEG with controlled quality.
