Convert PSD to JPG on Mac

The client portal accepts JPEG, not PSD. Marketing needs a flattened proof. Developers want a JPEG asset, not a 400 MB layered file. Convert PSD to JPG on Mac is a delivery step: keep the PSD master in the design repo, export JPEG copies at the right width and quality. Local export keeps unreleased campaign layers off online converters.

A sprint review folder may hold twenty PSD comps. The client portal wants JPEG at 1920 px wide. Flatten once in the design tool or Preview, then batch resize with GetCompress if needed.

Keep the PSD master

Never overwrite PSD when exporting JPEG. Never deliver PSD unless the contract requires editable layers.

File	Role
PSD	Edit master, layers, smart objects
JPEG	Client proof, web, email, CMS
PNG	When transparency still matters

Flatten or merge visible layers in your design app when the JPEG must match the approved comp. Preview flattens what it can read from the PSD.

For general PNG to JPEG workflows after export, see PNG to JPG on Mac . For camera RAW, see RAW to JPG on Mac .

Mistake to avoid	Why
Overwriting PSD	Lost layer edit history
Full-res JPEG to email	Bounce or client frustration
Skipping zoom check on text	Illegible proofs go live
CMYK export without conversion	Web colors look wrong

Export JPEG from Preview

Preview opens many PSD files without Photoshop:

1. Open PSD in Preview.
2. File → Export… → JPEG.
3. Set Quality. Save with a new name in deliverables/jpeg/.

Preview does not batch a folder of PSD files in one click. For one or two proofs it is fast.

Check before export	Why
100% zoom	Catch soft text
Layer visibility in source app	Hidden layers may still flatten in
Color profile	sRGB for web

Complex PSD files with unsupported features may look wrong in Preview. Flatten to PSD copy in your design tool first when colors shift.

Photos is not a reliable PSD reader. Use Preview or your editor export for PSD sources.

Apply the display-size rule: export at the pixel width the image will appear, not full canvas size.

For a folder of PSD files, export from your design app to PNG first, then batch JPEG with FFmpeg below.

FFmpeg for flattened exports

When you already exported PNG from your design tool, batch JPEG with FFmpeg:

mkdir jpg-out
for f in flattened/*.png; do
  ffmpeg -i "$f" -q:v 3 "jpg-out/$(basename "${f%.png}").jpg"
done

Resize and convert in one pass:

ffmpeg -i hero.png -vf scale=1920:-2 -q:v 3 hero-1920.jpg

sips on Mac also converts PNG to JPEG:

sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 85 hero.png --out hero.jpg

FFmpeg does not replace Preview for reading layered PSD directly on every build. Flatten first when Preview fails.

Compare three random exports at 100% zoom before you send the full batch to the client.

Layer and color notes

Issue	Fix
Wrong fonts	Open in design app, flatten, re-export
Huge JPEG	Resize to display width before export
Banding in gradients	Export PNG first, higher quality JPEG
CMYK PSD	Convert to sRGB in editor before Preview
Smart object mismatch	Flatten in design app first

Apply the display-size rule: export at the pixel width the image will appear, not full canvas size.

See how to compress images on Mac when the JPEG folder still exceeds email limits after export.

Spot-check text smaller than 14 px after JPEG export on a standard monitor.

For PNG handoffs with transparency, see PNG to JPG on Mac when the portal requires JPEG only.

Using GetCompress

GetCompress fits the step after PSD to JPG on Mac export: resize and compress JPEG proofs without re-opening PSD files.

• Batch a folder of exported JPEG mockups.
• Presets like “client JPEG 1920px q85”.
• Quality presets when portals cap megabytes.
• Local processing for NDA campaign assets.
• Folder monitoring when your editor saves JPEG exports to a watched folder.

Use Preview for the initial PSD to JPEG flatten. Use GetCompress when fifty proofs need consistent width before upload.

GetCompress does not read layered PSD files. Flatten in Preview or your design app first, then GetCompress for consistent delivery sizing across the whole sprint. When a portal rejects the first upload, tweak quality once in the saved preset rather than re-exporting from PSD unless the comp changed.

Keep PSD masters on project storage. Write JPEG deliverables to a separate folder so you can re-export at higher quality if the client requests it later.