Are you a photo enthusiast or professional that’s getting frustrated by slow export speeds in Photoshop that are hampering your editing times? When it comes to videography or photography, you need to be able to rely on your computer and software in order to save you vast amounts of time.

If you’ve ever wondered, ‘Why is Photoshop taking so long to save?’, you’re not alone. Many creatives struggle with sluggish export speeds, but optimizing your settings can make a huge difference.

Time is money, and quick photo editing or video editing enables you to exceed customer expectations when it comes to the turnaround of deliverables. Photoshop tricks that speed up your workflow won’t help you if you’re still getting stuck on export. With this in mind, read on to learn all about five true and tested tips and tricks for faster Photoshop export!

1. Adjust the Memory Usage

When it comes to Photoshop editing and visual production, professionals should always utilize this tip in order to speed up any kind of content creation. The more memory you allocate to Photoshop, the faster it will run!

You can adjust the memory by navigating to Edit > Preference > Performance.

Under Memory Usage, you’ll see that Photoshop most likely has the default set to 70%. We recommend raising it by 5% and seeing how that improves the speed.

If Photoshop is still running slowly or crashing frequently, memory allocation might not be the only issue. Check out our guide on common crash reasons for Photoshop to troubleshoot and prevent unexpected slowdowns.

2. Reduce History and Cache

The next easy step for faster editing in Photoshop and exporting is to reduce the history and cache settings. You can do this by navigating to the same window where you adjusted the memory. If you often work with large files, we recommend setting the cache levels to 4.

You can also adjust the history states so that the amount of actions Photoshop saves is lower. Consider your own editing skills and adjust accordingly! This will indirectly increase your export times.

3. Use Quick Export

One of the best ways to speed up your workflow is learning how to Quick Export in Photoshop—a fast and efficient way to save your images for online use. To customise this function if you are a MAC user go to Photoshop> Preferences> Export, instead if you are a WINDOWS user go to Edit> Preferences> Export. The default format used by Photoshop is PNG, this is because it is the one most used by graphic designers and web designers since they work with files that have transparent areas, but if you are a photographer and you work mainly with photographs then you will opt for a JPG format.

So if you don’t use transparent areas, the best format in which to save your images is definitely JPG with a quality index between 80% and 100%. My advice is to set the quality of the file to 80% because you get images that are very similar to those saved at the highest quality, but with a much lower weight, perfect condition if you have to upload your photos online.

You can choose to let Photoshop always ask you where you want the file to be saved or tell it to save it in the same folder where the source file is. Also I suggest you to insert the copyright and contact details in the metadata of all your photographs.

The last item visible is that of the colour space, make sure the checkbox is checked.

It is very important to check the Convert to sRGB box because this is the colour space that is used by most browsers to read images. If once uploaded online your images have a strange colour, different from the original, it may be that they have not been converted to the sRGB colour space during export.

Now you can quickly and easily save your photos, which are ready to be uploaded to the internet. Just go to File> Export> Quick Export as JPG and choose which folder to save the file to.

4. Disable Compression

When it comes to common Photoshop tips for digital media, many sources may tell you to export smaller file sizes. However, you may find that exporting them is still too slow.

In the File Handling and File Saving menu, click on Disable Compression of PSD and PSB Files.

While this will increase the size of your files, exporting them will be considerably faster.

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No more staring at the progress bar, it’s time to unleash your creativity without any holdups. You can check it yourself within just a few clicks.

You can also check out our GPU Guide for tips to use GPU, along with speed up and acceleration tips for Adobe Photoshop.

6. Turn Off Export to Clipboard

Exporting to the clipboard is something you’ll only need if you need to copy a file and paste it into another app. However, many users rarely use this functionality and it slows down the software!

Disable it by navigating to Preferences > General. You’ll find an option to uncheck Export Clipboard.

7. Use Virtual Memory Disks

When the RAM memory that has been allocated to it is not enough Photoshop begins to record temporary information on virtual memory disks, which is nothing more than the amount of free space on your hard disk. It is advisable to set a fast disk as primary virtual memory, but at the same time it is not your hard disk where the operating system resides.

You can also use an external drive connected to a USB port or Thunderbolt port. Connection speed and disk speed affect Photoshop performance, so the best choice I can suggest is to opt for a Solid State Drive (SSD) connected to a USB 3.0+ port or a Thunderbolt 2.0+ port.

To set virtual memory disks go to the Preferences panel accessible from the Photoshop> Preferences> Virtual Memory Disks menu if you are a MAC user, or from the Edit> Preferences> Virtual Memory Disks menu if you are a WINDOWS user.

8. Choose the Right Quality

Last but not least, speeding up your photo exports may be as simple as knowing the right options to choose. After clicking on the Save for Web option, make sure you’re choosing a quality between 40 and 60.

Any more than 60 is unnecessary and may be too large for websites. You’ll also find that they save much faster!

9. Choose the Right File Format

The file format you choose when exporting an image significantly impacts both export speed and file size. Some formats require more processing time due to compression methods, transparency handling, and overall file complexity. JPEG is generally the fastest format to export because it uses lossy compression, which efficiently reduces file size while maintaining acceptable image quality. In contrast, PNG files take longer to export because they use lossless compressionand support transparency, requiring Photoshop to perform additional calculations to preserve details and prevent quality loss. If your image does not require transparency, choosing JPEG over PNG will result in much faster export times and significantly smaller file sizes.

For users working with large images or web graphics, an even better alternative is WebP. This modern format is optimized for fast loading speeds while maintaining high image quality. WebP files are smaller than PNG and JPEG, and Photoshop processes them more efficiently, leading to faster exports and reduced storage space. To export in WebP, go to File → Export → Save As, and choose WebP from the file format options. If you need both quality and fast exports, setting WebP compression to around 80-90% provides a great balance between file size and image clarity.

Additionally, if you are exporting files for print, consider TIFF instead of PSD or PNG. While TIFF files are larger, they support lossless compression and are widely used in professional printing without the heavy processing time of layered PSD files. On the other hand, if you're working with vector-based designs or illustrations that need scalability without quality loss, exporting as SVG (for simple graphics) or PDF (for multi-page documents) is a better choice.

When working with multiple images or batch exporting, selecting the right file format in Photoshop’s "Export As" or "Save for Web" options can significantly speed up workflow efficiency. By choosing the appropriate format based on whether you need transparency, compression, or high detail, you can reduce both export times and overall file sizes while ensuring optimal image quality.9. Set the Colour Profiles

Photoshop offers tons of options when it comes to colour space. Some colour spaces are wider than others and allow the use of a wider range of colours during the post production phase. In most cases it is advisable to work with the colour space that allows you to use as many colours as possible ie ProPhoto RGB.

To set ProPhoto RGB as the primary colour space, go to the Edit> Colour Settings menu and from the RGB drop-down menu choose the ProPhoto RGB option. Make sure you check the “ask before opening” and “ask before pasting” checkboxes for the “Profiles not matching” and “Profiles not present” options.

Whenever you open a file with Photoshop and the colour space embedded in the file does not match the colour space of your workspace (ProPhoto RGB) the program will give you three options to open the document:

• Use embedded profile (instead of workspace)

• Convert document colours to workspace

• Delete embedded profile (do not manage colours)

Unless you are working for some graphic project intended for the web (and therefore you will opt for the first solution “Use embedded profile”, thus maintaining the document colour space) the option to select is the second “Convert document colours to workspace ”, in this way you can work on your photography using the best Photoshop colour space available, ProPhoto RGB. If you need to export your photograph to upload it online, all you have to do is use the quick export as JPG command - which I covered just before - and Photoshop will convert the ProPhoto RGB colour space into sRGB colour space (optimal for viewing on the web ) while exporting the file.

10. Set the Colour Profiles

Photoshop offers tons of options when it comes to colour space. Some colour spaces are wider than others and allow the use of a wider range of colours during the post production phase. In most cases it is advisable to work with the colour space that allows you to use as many colours as possible ie ProPhoto RGB.

To set ProPhoto RGB as the primary colour space, go to the Edit> Colour Settings menu and from the RGB drop-down menu choose the ProPhoto RGB option. Make sure you check the “ask before opening” and “ask before pasting” checkboxes for the “Profiles not matching” and “Profiles not present” options.

Whenever you open a file with Photoshop and the colour space embedded in the file does not match the colour space of your workspace (ProPhoto RGB) the program will give you three options to open the document:

• Use embedded profile (instead of workspace)

• Convert document colours to workspace

• Delete embedded profile (do not manage colours)

Unless you are working for some graphic project intended for the web (and therefore you will opt for the first solution “Use embedded profile”, thus maintaining the document colour space) the option to select is the second “Convert document colours to workspace ”, in this way you can work on your photography using the best Photoshop colour space available, ProPhoto RGB. If you need to export your photograph to upload it online, all you have to do is use the quick export as JPG command - which I covered just before - and Photoshop will convert the ProPhoto RGB colour space into sRGB colour space (optimal for viewing on the web ) while exporting the file.

11. Reduce File Size by Flattening Layers

If your Photoshop project contains multiple layers, exporting can take significantly longer because Photoshop has to process each layer individually, even if some of them are hidden or unnecessary. The more layers you have, the more memory and processing power Photoshop requires to render and export the image. To speed up the export process, it is recommended to flatten the image, which merges all layers into a single one. You can do this by going to Layer → Flatten Image. This minimizes the computational load, as Photoshop no longer needs to keep track of multiple layers, masks, blending modes, or layer effects, resulting in a much faster export.

However, if you want to keep your original project with all layers intact for future edits, it’s a good practice to create a duplicate file before flattening. To do this, go to File → Save As, and create a separate version of the project. Flatten only the duplicated file and export from there, ensuring that your original PSD file remains fully editable. Additionally, if you need to retain some layers but still want to speed up export, consider merging specific layers instead of flattening everything. You can select multiple layers and press Ctrl + E (Cmd + E on Mac) to merge them while still preserving some flexibility.

Another benefit of flattening layers is that it reduces file size, making it easier to save, share, or transfer images. Large, multi-layered PSD files can take up hundreds of megabytes, whereas a flattened image results in a significantly smaller file. This is particularly useful if you need to export images quickly for web use or if you are working with limited storage space. Additionally, if you are exporting to formats like JPEG or PNG, flattening the image beforehand ensures that Photoshop processes the export more efficiently, reducing lag and improving performance.

If you need to keep transparency but still want to speed up export, consider converting all layers into a single smart object instead of flattening. This method keeps the image visually the same while simplifying the export process. You can do this by selecting all layers, right-clicking, and choosing Convert to Smart Object before exporting. While this doesn’t reduce file size as much as flattening, it still helps reduce the number of active layers Photoshop needs to process, resulting in faster export speeds.

By flattening layers strategically or merging non-essential ones, you can significantly improve Photoshop’s performance and reduce export times, making your workflow smoother and more efficient.

12. Close Unused Applications

Running multiple applications while exporting can significantly slow down Photoshop’s performance, as it competes for RAM, CPU, and GPU resources with other programs running in the background. Exporting large or high-resolution files requires Photoshop to allocate as much memory as possible, so closing unnecessary applications can free up resources and speed up the process. Common memory-intensive apps such as web browsers (Google Chrome, Firefox), video editing software, music streaming apps, or even background services like cloud syncing (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive) can take up valuable system memory, causing Photoshop to lag during export.

To identify and close unnecessary applications, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) on Windows or Activity Monitor on Mac. In Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for applications consuming high CPU or RAM usage. Right-click on those that aren’t essential and select "End Task" to close them. On Mac, go to Activity Monitor → Memory or CPU tab, select an app that’s using too many resources, and click "Force Quit". Be cautious not to close system-critical processes—only shut down programs that you recognize as non-essential.

In addition to closing programs, disabling startup applications that run in the background can help free up resources even before launching Photoshop. On Windows, open Task Manager → Startup tab, and disable unnecessary apps that don’t need to launch at startup. On Mac, go to System Preferences → Users & Groups → Login Items, and remove unnecessary apps from the list.

By freeing up system memory and processing power, Photoshop can allocate more resources to the export process, resulting in faster completion times. If you frequently work with large files, you might also consider hardware upgradessuch as installing an SSD for faster read/write speeds, increasing RAM to at least 16GB or more, or using a dedicated GPU for improved graphics processing. These optimizations, combined with closing unnecessary applications, will make Photoshop run more efficiently, ensuring a smoother workflow and significantly reducing export times. 🚀

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Conclusion

When it comes to speeding up your editing and exporting times in Photoshop, it also combines down to a combination of factors. Follow our tips, learn about some common Photoshop shortcuts, and keep your cool.

You’ll find that in no time, you’ll be able to deliver clients’ finished results in less time than they expected.

Looking for more ways to speed up your photo and video production times without breaking the bank? Try Vagon today to speed up your workflow through the cloud!