Photoshop batch resize will resize an entire folder of images for you. Unlike a Photoshop action, a batch resize will also open, resize and close each image. You can walk away from the computer and return to a folder of resized images.
Resizing a large number of photos isn’t tough to do — once you find where the controls are. Case in point, the batch commands aren’t the best for resizing. The image processor will do quick work of resizing entire folders.
Here’s how to use the batch resize tool.
How to Resize Images Using Batch Resize in Photoshop
The process is called batch editing because you are working with a large group of photos. But the image processor is the fastest, most efficient tool for resizing a large number of photos in Photoshop.
It will resize photos that have different orientations. And it also doesn’t require creating your own action first.
You can use the batch processing tool instead. But you’ll need to create the action first, which makes it a longer process. Batch editing also doesn’t work well with groups of images that have a different orientation.
Adobe suggests using the image processor for batch editing without a Photoshop action, including resizes.
1. How to Prepare Your Files
The images that you want to resize should all be in the same folder, with no unnecessary files. Create a second folder for the resized images to go in, if you haven’t already.
On a Mac, use File > New > Folder or Shift + Command + N while inside the Finder to create a new folder. In Windows, use the Control + Shift + N keyboard shortcut while inside another folder location.
2. Start the Image Processor
Inside Photoshop, from the top menu, select File > Scripts > Image Processor.
3. Select the Folder
In the first section of the Image Processor, use the Select Folder button to choose the folder where you’ve saved all your images to resize.
If the images are already open inside Photoshop, check the option that says “Use Open Images”.
For images that are in multiple folders, check the option that says to include all sub-folders.
4. Optional: Apply Changes for RAW Files
If you are resizing RAW files, you might want to edit a single image first and apply those changes to all the others before resizing. Check the box that says “open first image to apply settings”.
With this selected, Photoshop will open Adobe Camera RAW. Any adjustments you make will be applied to each image.
Photoshop applies the adjustment to each image. This works best with images all taken under the same lighting conditions and settings.
5. Choose Where to Save the New Files
In the second section, choose the folder to save the newly resized images.
Be careful, using the “save in same location” option can overwrite the original files if you’re not changing the file type.
6. Pick a File Type
In the third section, choose the file type that you’d like the images to be saved in. (JPEG is the most common).
Within that section, check the box that says Resize to fit. You can choose just one file type. Or you can select two or three to have the resized images as JPEG, PSD and TIFF files.
7. Set the Size Parametres
In both the width and the height box of the file type you selected, type in the new size of the image, in pixels. You must use both the width and the height boxes. Don’t worry, Photoshop will keep the original aspect ratio.
By putting a pixel value in both the width and height, Photoshop will resize both horizontal and vertical images. It’ll use whatever you put in the box as the longest side.
If you want all the images to be 1600 pixels, put 1600 in both the width and height boxes. The longest side on each image will then be 1600 pixels. The shorter side will be whatever is necessary for the image to retain the original aspect ratio.
8. Optional: Run Another Action Simultaneously
You can also run another action at the same time that you resize the photos. Sometimes you’ll want to apply another effect. If so, choose the action from the drop-down menu in the last section of the Image Processor window.
The action needs to exist first, so you have to create the action ahead of time if you haven’t already.
9. Embed the Color Profile (Recommended) and Adjust Copyright (Optional)
For the best color reproduction, check the option that says include ICC Profile. This will put the color profile in each individual file. This helps keep the image looking consistent across all your devices.
If you want to change the copyright metadata in each image, use the Copyright Info field in the final section. Typing information in here will overwrite the copyright from the original image.
If you leave this blank, the original copyright metadata will remain intact.
10. Run the Batch Edit
Click run. Photoshop will do all the resizing work for you, including opening and closing each file.
If you have a large number of photos, this will take some time. Feel free to walk away from the computer and come back later to check on the progress.
Tip: Did you select the wrong settings, but Photoshop is already chugging through those resizes? You can force quit Photoshop to stop the process. Then, you can go back and start over with the appropriate settings.
Conclusion
Photoshop’s image processor makes quick work of resizing large quantities of images. The tool is great for resizing images for faster uploads online. You might need this while building an online portfolio or sharing images.
You can also use the image processor to convert images from one file type to another. For example, RAW photos to JPEG.
