If you are looking for the best solution forchange the size of an imagequickly and professionally,Adobe Photoshopis undoubtedly the reference software. Whether you need to zoom in or reduce the weight of a photo for the web, Photoshop allows you to do so in just a few clicks and with maximum quality control.
Saperresize photos with Photoshopis a fundamental competence, one of the most frequent photo editing operations in digital editing. Wandering this procedure could compromise the sharpness of your work, returning blurred, coarse or unsuitable results to the press. Do not fear: mastering the correct resize is easier than you think. Let's find out together how to optimize your files step by step!
Resolution (DPI) and Size (Pixel) of an image
When you shoot a photo with a digital SLR or acquire a document through a scanner, the device records a specific amount of data, including thepixel sizeand theresolution. Understanding the difference between these two parameters is essential, since the way you configure them depends largely on the final use you will make of the image (graphic, social media or website).
Although they are technical concepts related to computer graphics that would require a thorough study, we try to simplify them to give you the necessary basics to operate correctly and effectively.
Resolution (DPI)
TheResolution(measured in DPI,Dots For Inch), indicates the “density”, that is the amount of ink points that a printer manages to distribute in a linear thumb. To ensure a high quality print, theadobe official guidelinessuggest always set a resolution equal to or greater than300.
Pixel
IPixelinstead represent the individual “color points” that make up the grid of your image in width and height. They determine, in fact, the physical size of the file when this is displayed on a screen or monitor.
These two parameters are closely related to each other. Imagine having a photo from 1920×1080 pixels to 300 DPIs: if you decide to lower the resolution to 96 DPIs (ideal for the web), the pixel size will fit accordingly. However, if you decide to turn off the optionresamping, you can only change the resolution by leaving the pixels intact: in this way you will alter only the print density of the file, without changing the screen size.
But let's go now to practice and get into the live tutorial.
How to resize an image in Photoshop
- Within your workspace in Photoshop, click the top menu and selectImage > Image size..(or use Alt+Ctrl+I keyboard shortcut on Windows or Opt+Cmd+I on Mac).
- The dialog will openImage size. From here you will have total control over key parameters to resize the file: pixel size, resolution and advanced resamping options:
- Change values in fieldsWidthandHeight. The “catenella” icon connects the two values: if it is active, the program will maintain the original proportions (objective) to avoid annoying visual distortions. If you need to insert free measures to alter proportions, click the chain to disconnect values.
- You can customize the measuring unit according to your project: choose between Pixel (ideal for the web), Percentage, Pollics, Centimeters and Millimeters (more indicated for the press), or even Points, Pica and Columns. Simply use the drop-down menu to select the desired item.
- Interventions on the fieldResolutionif you need to change the print density of your photo, adapting it to the necessary standard.
- The optionsResampionindicate to the Photoshop algorithm how to behave when it has to remove information (during the reduction of an image) or invent and calculate new pixels (during magnification, also called interpolation).
- Once you have checked all the parameters you want, click on the buttonOKto confirm the changes and apply the resize.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Resize Images
What is the best resolution for images published on the web?
For the web, the industry standard historically recommended is of72or96. Maintaining a lower resolution than printing significantly reduces the weight of the file (in KB or MB), ensuring fast loading of web pages without overloading the server, while preserving an excellent visual performance on the monitors.
How can I enlarge an image in Photoshop without losing quality?
While the reduction of an image rarely results in loss of sharpness, enlargement is more delicate. To get the best result, in the panelImage sizeselect resamping option“Mantieni details 2.0”. This feature uses Adobe’s artificial intelligence to detect edges and preserve sharpness, drastically reducing noise and scratching effect.
What is the difference between Image Size and Framework Size in Photoshop?
The functionImage sizephysically scales the photo, recalculating the pixels and changing the weight and visual dimensions of the whole shot. TheFramework(reachable fromImage > Frame size..), instead, it exclusively modifies the working space around the level, leaving the intact photo: it is useful if you want to “enlarge the work table” to add edges, texts or other graphics to the sides of the original photo.
