Batch Processing in Photoshop

Batch Processing is a 2-step process. First you need to record a set of steps as an Action that you would like to apply. Then you can apply the Action.

Make sure you have all the images you would like to batch process in one folder. Then create a COPY of that folder to use for batch processing. We always want to keep the originals.

Recording an Action

1. Launch Photoshop.
   
   
2. Open a test file that you would like to process.
   
   
3. Open the Actions window. Go to Windows > Actions. Actions should be checked.
   
   
4. Click on the right-facing arrow on right-hand side of the Actions window. Choose New Action …
   
   
5. A window will pop-up. Give your action a Name i.e. Resize. Make sure the Set field is set to Default Actions. atn. Assigning a Function Key and setting a Color is optional. Click Record.
   
   
6. Make all the modifications that you would like to make to the image including saving the file. Use either Save As or Save for Web. The difference between Save As vs. Save for Web is that Save for Web also exports optimized files for posting on the web. Save As does not.
   
   If you use Save As, you can save the file to the desktop. If you are using Save for Web, you will need to create a folder for your optimized batched files, i.e. optimized_batch, and then save the file to that folder.
   
   
7. Click on the Square icon on the bottom of the Actions window to Stop recording. You have created an action that can now be applied to an entire folder of image files. Since we have recorded the Action, we no longer need the test file that we just saved. Go back and delete it.
   
   
   

Applying the Action

1. To apply an Action, go to File > Automate > Batch…
   
   
2. A window will pop-up. These should be the settings for each section:
   
   
3. Play
   Set : Default Actions. atn
   Action : name of action you would like applied. The default is the most recently created action.
   
   Source: Folder
   Click Choose.. and browse to select the folder containing the images you would like to batch.
   Uncheck Override Action “Open” Commands
   Check Include All Subfolders
   Check Suppress All Profile Warnings
   
   Destination: Folder
   Click Choose.. and browse to select/create a folder where you would like to save the regularly batched files, i.e. batched_images.
   Uncheck Override Action “Save As” Commands
   
   File Naming:
   Select Document Name for the first column
   Select extension for the second column
   
   Errors: Log to File
   Click Save As… Give your log file a name i.e. Resized..txt . If the program encounters a problem during the batch process, it records it in this log file. Make sure you Save the log file to the Desktop.
   
   
4. Click OK. Photoshop will begin batch processing your files.

• Tuyet Nguyen
• Information Services
• Date Created: August 18, 2000
• Last Modified: July 7, 2004
• Expires: August 31, 2004