How to Save as PNG in Photoshop (With Transparency)

If you go looking for PNG under Save As and get confused, you're not alone. Photoshop now nudges you towards Export for PNGs, and the settings that decide whether your background stays transparent live in a preferences screen most people never open.

The fastest way: Quick Export as PNG

1. Finish your image and save the PSD so your layers are kept.
2. Choose File, then Export, then Quick Export as PNG.
3. Pick where to save it if Photoshop asks, and you're done.

If the menu says Quick Export as JPG instead, change the format once in preferences, as shown below. After that, every quick export is a PNG.

Set PNG and transparency as your default

1. Choose Edit, then Preferences, then Export on Windows, or Photoshop, then Preferences, then Export on a Mac.
2. Set Quick Export Format to PNG.
3. Tick Transparency if you want transparent areas kept.
4. Choose whether Photoshop asks where to save each time, or saves into an assets folder next to your document.
5. Click OK.

Transparency or Smaller File?

Setting	What you get	Use it for
Transparency ticked	32-bit PNG with transparency	Logos, cut-outs, anything on a see-through background
Smaller File (8-bit) ticked	8-bit PNG, a smaller file	Simple graphics with few colours
Neither ticked	24-bit PNG without transparency	Screenshots and flat images

This is the setting behind most 'my PNG has a white background' complaints. If Transparency isn't ticked, the transparent areas aren't saved as transparent.

The other reason your PNG background turns white

Even with Transparency ticked, Adobe notes that extra space is only transparent if your document has no Background layer. If the bottom layer is still the locked Background layer, Photoshop fills it in. Check the Layers panel: if you see a layer called Background, double-click it to turn it into a normal layer, then hide or delete it before exporting.

Export just one layer as a PNG

1. Select the layer, or several layers, in the Layers panel.
2. Right-click and choose Quick Export as PNG.
3. Each selected layer is saved as its own PNG.

This is handy for saving a logo or a cut-out without the rest of your design.

More control with Export As

Choose File, then Export, then Export As when you want to resize the image, preview the file size or set the canvas size before saving. Pick PNG as the format, check the transparency option, adjust the size, then click Export. It's the better choice when the PNG is going on a website and you want to keep the file light.

When to choose PNG, and when not to

• Choose PNG for logos, icons, cut-outs, screenshots and graphics with text, because edges stay crisp and transparency is kept.
• Choose JPG for ordinary photos, where a PNG would be a much bigger file for little visible gain.
• Keep a PSD as your master, because neither PNG nor JPG keeps your layers.

What the PNG options mean in plain English

Bit depth sounds technical, but it's simply how much colour and transparency information each pixel can hold. The 32-bit option you get with Transparency ticked is the one that keeps see-through areas, including soft edges like shadows and anti-aliased text. The 8-bit option makes files smaller by limiting the colours, which is fine for a flat icon but can make gradients and photos look banded. If you're not sure, tick Transparency and leave Smaller File unticked.

Save As PNG versus Export

You can still save a PNG with File, then Save a Copy and choosing PNG from the format list. It works, but you don't get the export preview or the quick resizing, and it's easy to forget which settings you used last time. I'd use Quick Export for everyday graphics and Export As when the file size or dimensions matter, because both remember your choices.

Common PNG problems

• The file's huge: you've exported a photo as a PNG. Use JPG for photos, or resize in Export As.
• Edges look jagged: the image was cut out with a hard selection. Refine the edge before exporting.
• Colours look different online: make sure the export converts to sRGB, which is set in Export preferences.
• Only part of the design exported: you right-clicked a single layer. Use the File menu to export the whole document.

Saving a PNG on your phone

In Photoshop on iPhone or Android, the route is different: tap Share, then Quick export as PNG.

If you're cutting out images to save as PNGs, my guide to colour harmony helps when you put them onto new backgrounds.

My verdict

Set PNG with Transparency as your quick export default once, and saving a PNG becomes two clicks from the File menu. If a transparent PNG still comes out with a white background, the Background layer is almost always the reason, so convert or hide it first. Use Export As when the image is going on a website and size matters. For somewhere to show off your finished graphics, see my list of website builders for showing your work.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Save as PNG in Photoshop?

Use File, then Export, then Quick Export as PNG, or File, then Export, then Export As.

Why does my PNG have a white background?

Transparency isn't ticked in Export preferences, or the document still has a Background layer.

How do I make Quick Export save PNGs?

Go to Preferences, then Export, and set Quick Export Format to PNG.

Can I export a single layer as a PNG?

Yes. Right-click the layer in the Layers panel and choose Quick Export as PNG.

Is PNG or JPG better for photos?

JPG is usually better for photos. PNG suits logos, graphics and anything needing transparency.

Does a PNG keep my Photoshop layers?

No. Save a PSD as well if you want to keep editing the layers.