Smart Photo Selection guide
How to Export a Wedding Album as JPG, PNG or Layered PSD
Export one album sheet or the whole album from Smart Photo Selection as full-resolution JPG, PNG or a verified layered PSD, and download everything as a ZIP for your lab.
By Smart Photo Selection TeamUpdated 4 min read
Short answer
For one sheet, click Export and choose Download JPG, Download PNG or Export PSD in the Export Album Sheet dialog. For the whole album, open the export panel, tick JPG, PNG and/or Layered PSD, pick a JPG quality, click Generate N sheets, then use Download all to get a ZIP.
What You Need
- An album in Album Studio with every sheet reviewed and saved with
Save Sheet. - The booking's original photos still in its gallery (exports render from the originals, not from previews).
- Enough free browser storage on the device for the generated files; large PSDs take space.
Which format to choose
| Format | Best for | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
| JPG | Sending to the print lab, client previews | The flattened sheet at full size, with DPI and (when your PSD template has one) its ICC colour profile embedded |
| PNG | Lossless copies, further editing | The flattened sheet at full size with DPI; larger files than JPG |
| Layered PSD | Finishing in desktop software, archiving an editable version | Your template's layers, with each photo as a raster layer clipped to its slot; editor text and adjustments are rasterized |
Most labs print from JPG. Choose PNG if you want a lossless master. Choose the layered PSD if a designer will continue the work in a desktop editor. A comparison of all common formats, including TIFF, is in JPG vs PNG vs TIFF vs PSD for albums.
Export a single sheet
- 1
Save the sheet
In the editor, click
Save Sheet. The button showsSave Sheet ✓when the final sheet has been rendered and saved. - 2
Open the export dialog
Click
Exportin the editor's top bar, or theExportbutton on a sheet card in the preview step. TheExport Album Sheetdialog opens. - 3
Pick the format
Click
Download JPG(quality 95),Download PNGorExport PSD. Each click downloads one file. - 4
Fix fold problems if asked
If a photo or text crosses the centre fold, the dialog shows
Fix the layout before exporting:with the layer name and anOpen in editorbutton. Move the layer onto one page and export again.
Export the whole album
- 1
Open the export panel
In an AI album, go to the preview step and use the
Export all sheetscard. In an automatic album, use step5. Generate album. In the editor, open theFilemenu and choose its export command, which opens theExport albumdialog. - 2
Choose formats
Tick
JPG,PNGand/orLayered PSD. JPG and Layered PSD are ticked by default. - 3
Set JPG quality
Choose
Quality 92,Quality 95 (recommended)orQuality 100 (largest). 95 is visually indistinguishable from 100 for print, at a much smaller file size. - 4
Generate
Click
Generate N sheets. If theCheck before generatingdialog appears, it lists empty slots and photos that would print below 200 ppi. ChooseGo back and fix, orGenerate anywayif you have checked them. - 5
Download
In
Generated files, download each file, or clickDownload allfor a ZIP. UseRetryon any file that failed.
What is inside the layered PSD
The PSD keeps the structure of the template: its groups, masks, text, smart objects, effects and adjustment layers stay as they were. Each photo is inserted as a raster layer directly above its slot, clipped to it so it takes the slot's shape; the original placeholder is hidden rather than deleted. Text, shapes and adjustments you added in Smart Photo Selection are rasterized into pixel layers. After writing, each PSD is opened again to verify it, and the file list marks it verified or not verified. Expand What’s in these files in the results for details.
File names, size and colour
- Files are named from the album name, for example
rahul-priya-album-sheet-01.jpg, so they sort in sheet order. - Every export is rendered at the album's full size and DPI. A 12 × 36 in sheet at 300 DPI is 10,800 × 3,600 px; there is no option to export smaller.
- Exports are RGB. JPG embeds the template's ICC profile when your PSD template has one; otherwise no profile is embedded and sRGB is assumed. There is no CMYK export.
- Generated files are stored in the browser on this device until you remove them. Download and back them up.
Tips
- Export a single test sheet and send it to your lab before generating the whole album.
- Untick PSD when you only need print files; PSDs take the longest to generate and the most storage.
- Use
Download allso the lab receives the sheets in order in one ZIP. - Re-export after any edit; generated files are not updated automatically when you change a sheet.
Common Mistakes
Exporting before saving the sheet
Click
Save Sheetfirst so the export reflects your latest edits.Ignoring the ‘Check before generating’ dialog
Empty slots print as empty frames and low-ppi photos print soft. Fix them, then generate.
Expecting editable text in the PSD
Text from your own PSD template stays editable; text added in Smart Photo Selection is rasterized.
Clearing browser data before downloading
Generated files live in the browser's storage. Download them before clearing site data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my lab needs CMYK files?
Smart Photo Selection exports are RGB and there is no CMYK conversion. Convert with the lab's profile in your own software, or ask the lab to convert and send a proof.
Why does the export take longer than the preview?
Previews are drawn at low resolution. Exports decode every original photo and render the sheet at full print size.
Does the export include my adjustments and retouching?
Yes. Adjustments and retouching are applied to the full-resolution photos in JPG and PNG, and rasterized into the layers of the PSD.
Can I export only some sheets?
Yes. Use the Export button on each sheet you need, instead of generating all sheets.
Related Guides
- How to Prepare a Wedding Album for PrintA print checklist for Smart Photo Selection: resolution and DPI, low-ppi warnings, centre fold, trim and safe area guides, bleed, sRGB colour and what to ask your album lab.
- Troubleshooting Album Photos: Loading, Replacing and Export QualityFix common Smart Photo Selection problems: photos not loading, storage errors, replacing or rearranging photos, soft preview versus sharp export, and low-ppi warnings.
- How to Upload and Use Your Own PSD Album TemplateUpload a PSD album design to Smart Photo Selection, verify the detected photo slots, set the fill order and reuse the template for every wedding, with automatic photo mapping.
- How to Edit an AI-Generated Album DesignRefine AI-generated wedding album spreads: regenerate a sheet, change photos and crops, resize frames, edit text and exposure layers, and keep it all off the fold.
Related Features
Further Reading
- JPG vs PNG vs TIFF vs PSD: Which File Format for Wedding Albums?Which file format to send your album lab: JPG, PNG, TIFF or PSD compared on quality, size, layers and colour profiles, and what Smart Photo Selection exports today.
- A Wedding Album Delivery Workflow for PhotographersA practical album workflow for wedding photographers: client photo selection, design, review rounds, revisions, lab checks, printing and final delivery.
- Bleed, Safe Area and the Centre Fold in Wedding AlbumsWhat bleed, trim, safe area and the centre fold mean for wedding album spreads, how binding affects the gutter, and how to keep faces and text safe.
Try It in Smart Photo Selection
Open Album Studio with a photographer account, pick a booking and follow the steps above on your own photos.