When you need to make an image larger, you have two main choices: upsampling and resampling. Upsampling means to add pixels to your image, making it bigger. Resampling means to change the pixels you already have, making your image both bigger and lower quality.
If you’re going to be printing your image or displaying it on a large screen, upsample first and then resize the image. That way, you preserve as much detail and quality as possible.
To upsample in Photoshop, go to Image > Image Size. Make sure the Resample Image box is unchecked and simply enter in your new dimensions. You can also uncheck the Constrain Proportions box if you want to change the width and height independently.
Now, if you’re going to be displaying your image on the web or sending it via email, resize first and then upsample. Again, this is because you want to keep the file size as small as possible while still maintaining decent quality.
To resize in Photoshop, go to Image > Image Size. Make sure the Resample Image box is checked this time and enter in your new dimensions. As before, you can uncheck the Constrain Proportions box if you want to change the width and height independently.
Once you’ve either upsampled or resampled your image, go ahead and save it as a JPEG or PNG file.
How do I upscale an image in Photoshop?
The best way to upscale an image is by using the ‘Image Size’ function in Photoshop.
To do this:
- Open your image file in Photoshop.
- Go to ‘Image’ on the top toolbar and select ‘Image Size’ from the drop-down menu.
In the ‘Image Size’ dialogue box that appears:
- Make sure that ‘Resample Image’ is unchecked.
- Enter your new dimensions for width and height.
- Check the ‘Constrain Proportions’ box so that your width and height remain in proportion with each other.
Click ‘OK’ when you’re done.
Your image will now be larger without losing any quality!
