Save and name an image

The first time you save an image, you name it and choose where to save it — for example, on your desktop or in a folder. Thereafter, Pixelmator Pro automatically saves your image as you work. You can rename an image at any time or create a duplicate of it with a different name.

If you're editing existing images in their original file format, simply saving the image will save all changes to the sidecar file attached to the original image. You can change the document saving behavior in Pixelmator Pro Editing settings.

Save and name an image

1. Do one of the following:

   • Choose File > Save from the File menu at the top of your screen.

   • Press Command ⌘ + S on your keyboard.

2. Enter a name in the Save As field, then enter one or more tags (optional).

3. Click the Where pop-up menu and choose a location.

   • To have the image appear on all your devices set up iCloud Drive and save the presentation in the Pixelmator folder in iCloud Drive. (To see this option, iCloud Drive must be set up on your Mac.)

   • To create a new folder for the image, click the Where pop-up menu and choose Other, then click New Folder at the bottom of the dialog. Enter a name for the folder, then click Create.

4. Choose the file format: Pixelmator Pro Document, HEIC, JPEG, PNG, WebP, or TIFF.

5. Customize the saving settings:

   • Save Layers and Edits to Sidecar File: Select to save all nondestructive edits and layers to a sidecar file in iCloud or the Pictures folder on your Mac.

   • Quality: Drag the quality slider or enter the precise quality percentage to change the level of compression. Saving images between 75% to 85% quality can greatly reduce the image size without any noticeable drop in quality. Higher levels of compression will make images lighter but can potentially reduce image quality.

6. Click Save or press the Return ↵ key to save the image.

Rename an image

• Click the image name at the top of the Pixelmator Pro window, then type a new name.

• Choose File > Rename from the File menu at the top of your screen.

Click anywhere outside the dialog to dismiss it.

Save a copy of an image

1. Do one of the following:

   • With the image open, press and hold the Option ⌥ key on your keyboard and choose File > Save As (from the File menu at the top of your screen.

   • Press Option ⌥ + Shift ⇧ + Command ⌘ + S on your keyboard.

2. Type a name for the copy of your image.

3. Choose the file format: Pixelmator Pro Document, HEIC, JPEG, PNG, WebP, or TIFF.

4. Customize the saving settings:

   • Save Layers and Edits to Sidecar File: Select to save all nondestructive edits and layers to a sidecar file in iCloud or the Pictures folder on your Mac. Deselect to save your image with flattened edits.

   • Quality: Drag the quality slider or enter the precise quality percentage to change the level of compression. Saving images between 75% to 85% quality can greatly reduce the image size without any noticeable drop in quality. Higher levels of compression will make images lighter but can potentially reduce image quality.

5. Press the Return ↵ key to save the image.

The copy is saved in the same location as the original.

To save a copy of an image in another format (for example, JPEG, PNG, or PDF), you make a copy of the image in that format. To learn how, see Export and share images.