How to fix not being able to save PNG files in Photoshop

The error of not being able to save PNG files in Photoshop is a fairly common error, especially for those who are new to Photoshop. Let's find out what causes this problem and how to fix it in the following article that Sadesign shares!

1. Why can't Photoshop save PNG files?

There are many reasons why users cannot save PNG files after designing, including the following common reasons: 

1.1. Image has color space not suitable for exporting to PNG file

One of the most common reasons why Photoshop won't save PNGs is because of the wrong color mode. Photoshop now supports both print and digital content. For print content, Photoshop uses the CMYK color system (for printers), which will not be able to save files in PNG format. 

Therefore, if you want to print, you need to convert the CMYK color system (printing) to the RGB color system (display) to be able to save PNG files from Photoshop.

1.2. Images with high bit depth values

If you have converted to RGB but still cannot save PNG files, check the bit depth value. The bit depth value is responsible for indicating how much data is stored in each channel, thereby determining the quality of the image. 

If the bit depth value is too high, the image will be too large and cannot be saved in PNG format. At this point, you need to change the bit depth value. To do this, open the Image menu => select Mode and choose one of the lower values.

1.3. Image resolution is too high

If the image resolution is too high, it is also a common cause of the error of not being able to save the Photoshop file. The file size is too large, which will cause problems when saving the file.

In this case, the quickest and easiest way to solve the problem is to change the image resolution to normal. However, when changing the resolution, the image will no longer be sharp and realistic.

2. Instructions to fix Photoshop error of not being able to save PNG

Depending on the specific cause, there will be a way to fix the error of not being able to save the Photoshop PNG file. You can refer to some of the following ways to fix the error of not being able to save the PNG file in Photoshop: 

2.1. Free up RAM

The error that Photoshop cannot save PNG is mostly due to the lack of memory provided for Photoshop software to be able to store and operate. At this time, the fastest and most effective solution is to free up RAM.

When using Photoshop, some heavy files when saved often get errors because of insufficient RAM. To free up RAM, follow the following process: Go to Photoshop => Go to Edit => select Purge => click All to complete.

2.2. Increase RAM for Photoshop

If you have freed up RAM but still cannot save PNG files, increase RAM for the software. To increase RAM for Photoshop, follow these steps:

- Step 1: Open Photoshop => select Edit => Select Preferences => Select Performance.

- Step 2: Right in the opened interface, move the mouse to the desired % number. It is best to keep it below 80% to ensure the computer can run normally.

- Step 3: Select Ok to save. Try saving the file again to check if the error has been fixed. 

2.3. Enable compatibility with large files

If the file in Photoshop is large, about 3GB or 4GB, and you have not enabled the Large Documents feature, you will often encounter an error that the file cannot be saved. To fix this problem, you should enable the feature equivalent to the large file. To enable this feature, follow these steps:

- Step 1: You need to open the Photoshop file => Select Edit => Select Preferences => Select File Handling.

- Step 2: In the File Compatibility section, select "Maximize PSD and PSB File Compatibility" => select Ask => select Ok to complete.

2.4. Change color mode if an image file cannot be saved in Photoshop

One of the typical errors of not being able to export image files in Photoshop is because the color system of the image is incompatible or incorrect, they do not allow you to save it as JPG or PNG.

For example, when printing Multichannel color mode is a specialized color mode, they have more data than PNG files. To help the image-saving process not be interrupted, you should use RGB Color mode.

How to change the color system: Open the Image => Mode menu, select RGB Color and you're done.

2.5. Make changes to image resolution

Changing the image resolution is one of the most commonly used methods to fix the error of not being able to save PNG files. The purpose of this work is to help the image file have a smaller capacity, reduce the file size, thereby making the process of saving the image easier.

To change the image resolution, do the following: Open the Image menu => select Image Size => in the pop-up window, you will see the current size, change the value in the Resolution field to help reduce the size.

Although this method is effective in helping to fix the error of not being able to save PNG files easily, the image you receive will be broken and not very sharp. To fix the problem, you need to manually delete unnecessary layers and graphic elements to help free up some image capacity.

2.6. Save the file as PSD first

PSD is a file created and saved in Adobe Photoshop, this file usually contains layers to help users modify images more easily and quickly. Currently, new versions of Photoshop will not allow you to save JPEG or PNG files if you have not saved the file as PSD. 

Photoshop does this to ensure that you won't lose your editable files in the event of a sudden computer shutdown.

To fix the error of not being able to save PNG files in this case, we do the following: Press Ctrl + Shift + S or Command + Shift + S to save the file as PSD. Next, you need to set up Photoshop's Quick Export feature so that you don't need to adjust the settings for each file you are exporting.

2.7. Reset Photoshop preferences 

If you have done all the above methods but still encounter the error that Photoshop cannot save JPG or PNG files, it may be because you have installed it incorrectly. The most effective way to handle this case is to reinstall all options, because, in reality, not all users have the time to figure out how to install Photoshop options correctly.

Resetting Photoshop options will help fix the error of not being able to save files quickly. The steps are simple as follows: 

First, open the Edit Menu => Select Preferences => select General or press Control + K on Windows or Command + K on Mac. When the Preferences window appears, select Reset Preferences on Quit and confirm.

When you restart Photoshop, all options and settings will return to their original defaults. At this time, the error you are experiencing with Photoshop will also be effectively fixed, you will be able to save PNG files in Photoshop.

So the above sharing that Sadesign brings has helped readers overcome the error of not being able to save PNG files in Photoshop effectively. From there, apply it to overcome similar errors on your computer effectively. Wish you success!