Photoshop ‘Print Size’ done right!

If you use Photoshop on a daily basis this tip is for you!

Sometimes you need to check your image at true size. So you choose ‘Print Size’ under the ‘View’ menu and voila, true size! But when you actually check the size, it is completely off. Why is that?
Well, Photoshop is still living in the nineties because it assumes that the resolution of your monitor is 72 pixels per inch (PPI). Monitors nowadays have a much higher resolution and that is why choosing ‘Print Size’ almost always gives you the wrong result.

Here’s how to fix this:

 

1. 1. 1. 1. Make a new document in Photoshop. Let’s say 20 x 20cm
            
            
         2. Under the ‘View’ menu choose ‘Print Size’.
            
         3. Grab a ruler and measure the width of the document on the screen. The width on my MacBook pro screen is 5,6 cm.
            Way off!
            
         4. In Photoshop go to ‘preferences’ and in the Preference panel on the left, choose ‘Units & Rules’.
            
         5. On the right size of the panel you see the option ‘Resolution’. Write down the value listed there (I bet it’s 72 PPI)
         6. Apply the following formula: Width of the document (20) multiplied by Photoshop’s screen resolution (72) divided by the actual measured width (5,6) = 257. This is the resolution of your screen.
         7. Go back to Photoshop’s preferences and fill in the correct screen resolution value.
         8. Again apply ‘Print Size’ under the ‘View’ menu and you will see that the document now displays the correct size!

       

If you are using a multiple screen setup -for instance a laptop connected to an external screen- remember that these settings only apply to the main screen you’re working on. If you unplug the laptop and continue to work there, you will have to adjust these settings once more for your laptop screen…

If this tip helped you out, please let me know in the comments!