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christine_alvey's profile
christine_alvey
100 Points

4 Messages

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110 Points

Sun, Jan 20, 2019 2:47 AM

Photoshop CC: Can't save a GIF

I have created a GIF in Photoshop CC.  The tutorial I have always used tells me to "save for Web".  This doesn't work anymore.  And it says "legacy" next to Save For Web.  When I choose Save for Web, Photoshop says "Error. This operation cannot be completed."  Help!  How can I save my GIF? Thanks!

Problems

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Updated 

7 d ago

7.5K

11

Responses

dmohr

Adobe Administrator

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3.5K Messages

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53K Points

2 y ago

Howdy Christine,

Save for Web is found under File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy) or ALT/OPT+SHIFT+CNTL/CMD+S.  When you press this you get an error message?  What version of Photoshop are you running?  On which OS?

Thanks,
David

2

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christine_alvey

4 Messages

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110 Points

Yes, I get the error message when I choose that task.  I am running Photoshop CC 2018. I'm using Windows 10 Home. I have 6 photos of a basketball player dunking a ball that I am trying to create a gif with.  

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2 y ago

0

nicholls_lyss

1 Message

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60 Points

Hi there, was having the same issue. Try rendering the video. You will find this option in the corner of your timeline window. Once you click render video, select the folder you'd like the video to be saved into and then press render .. done :) you should now to be able to easily access your clip.

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1 y ago

0

JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

2 y ago

Hi Christine, could you share the PSD you're having trouble saving as a GIF? (Use CC files or Dropbox to upload and share a link here)

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

0

dmohr

Adobe Administrator

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3.5K Messages

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53K Points

2 y ago

Howdy Christine,

So, two things.

First, as a workaround until we find a solution, you can also save GIFs by cllicking File > Save As and choosing CompuServe GIF as the file type.  Not as slick as Save for Web, but it'll work.

Second, I'd like to figure out what the issue you're having is.  Have you tried to trash your preferences?  Has saving as a GIF worked in the past?  

Let's start with this and work from there.

Thanks,
David

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christine_alvey

4 Messages

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110 Points

2 y ago

I have tried the File>Save As but it goes right to saving to my computer.  I never see a CompuServe GIF option to save as the file type. Yes, I've trashed my preferences. Restarted my computer too. Yes, I've saved as a GIF in the past.  Thanks for your help, David.  I sure hope we can figure this out! 

2

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dmohr

Adobe Administrator

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3.5K Messages

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53K Points

Howdy Christine,

File > Save As should give you a chance to change the name of the file before saving.  In that same dialog, you can also change the file type to CompuServe GIF.  If you'd like, we can do a web-hosted screen-share and I could walk you through it.

Thanks,
David

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2 y ago

0

christine_alvey

4 Messages

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110 Points

Hi, David.  I updated my version on Photoshop CC and now the GIF works!  So maybe that was my problem.  Ha!  Thanks for your advice though!  I appreciate it! 

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2 y ago

0

kerry_lewis

1 Message

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60 Points

2 y ago

Hi David and Christine,

I have also struggled to create a GIF (using Photoshop 2019 on a Mac – mac OS High Sierra). I followed the official tutorial and I every time I manage to click on Save for Web, but then Photoshop freezes. (There are only 7 layers of jpegs – I'm not working with a massive number of images!) On the occasions that the Save for Web dialogue box does pop up the poor, stressed out preview never loads and I cannot save anything because I get an error message: The operation could not be completed. 

Frustratingly, Photoshop seems reluctant to tell me what the error is and/or why it's occurring.

David – I also tried to save as a CompuServe GIF, but while Photoshop did allow me to do so, I appear to have a gif of a static image, which wasn't really the plan.

Help.

If anyone could explain why this is happening, that would be awesome!


 

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dmohr

Adobe Administrator

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3.5K Messages

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53K Points

Howdy Kerry,

Thanks for the detailed answer and sorry that you're running into this.  Not that it solves your problem, but I, personally, save animated GIFs of my kids probably at least once a week on my Mac, so I guarantee this DOES work usually.  It sounds like there's something messed up with your installation of Photoshop.

I'd START by ruling out what we can.  Try creating an image that's 10 pixels by 10 pixels.  Add a couple of solid layers and animate that.  Does it save?  If yes, then likely the file you're trying to animate before is too large or requires more resources than your machine has.  If no, then there's probably something wrong with your installation and you should UNINSTALL and then Reinstall.  That said, and this is just a thought, before trying to reinstall, go to Preferences > Performance and UNcheck Use Graphics Processor at the top-right.  The relaunch PS and re-try.  This will rule out your video card.

Hope that helps.  If it doesn't, then let's talk more.

Thanks,
David

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2 y ago

0

MizaUmairah

2 Messages

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70 Points

6 m ago

Hi, i have a problem saving my gif in Photoshop as well. After "Save for Web" & selecting whatever is necessary, I couldnt preview the gif. After saving it, it became 15 separate images instead of a gif. I tried googling and even updated my Photoshop but it still didnt work.

6

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JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

That sounds like you doc is sliced up and the slices have a different optimization setting.

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

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6 m ago

0

MizaUmairah

2 Messages

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70 Points

So what should i do? Please help!

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6 m ago

0

JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

Get rid of the slices or make sure the slices are all set to output GIF. Otherwise, can you post the source PSD (CC files or Dropbox) so we can help troubleshoot?

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

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6 m ago

0

Jennifer Corbin

2 Messages

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70 Points

Having same issue. Never had this problem before. 

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6 m ago

0

Jennifer Corbin

2 Messages

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70 Points

As far as I am aware I don't have any slices. 

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6 m ago

0

JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

can you post the source PSD (CC files or Dropbox) so we can help troubleshoot?

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

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6 m ago

0

ash

3 Messages

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80 Points

6 m ago

I am having the same issue. Maybe my file is too large?

5

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JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

can you post the source PSD (CC files or Dropbox) so we can help troubleshoot?
 

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

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6 m ago

0

ash

3 Messages

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80 Points

Timelapse I don't know how to cc the file, here is a link in a share drive.

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6 m ago

0

JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

Looks like a massive file and will take some time to download. Might be a problem exceeding the 500 frame limit of Save for Web.

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

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6 m ago

0

ash

3 Messages

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80 Points

Its 35 pictures on a 8.5x11 at 200dpi saved as pdfs. I might have to go back into illustrator and resize but I need it to still be of high quality.

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6 m ago

0

JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

Yeah, this is sort of abuse of the gif file format - it would create a GIF that's 183 MB.

What's the intended end use? In a web page? On a TV?

The source is really low resolution blown up to a size that is larger that what can be natively displayed on a 5k monitor.

You might be better off making a movie file (mp4) or using a slideshow viewer to cross fade better compressed JPGs.

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

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5 m ago

0

courtneygow

1 Message

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60 Points

5 m ago

Hi, I have made an illustrated animation and after not being able to export it, i used the save as method, which worked but now when I get it up on chrome it doesn't move. What am I doing wrong?

Thank you! :) 

1

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JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

Couldn't export it via what method? What was the exact command you tried? Did you get an error?

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

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5 m ago

0

kitkat

1 Message

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60 Points

5 m ago

Hi I am having trouble exporting an illustrated animation (mov) as a GIF by going to File>Export>Save for Web Legacy. I had done another in the past and it worked. 

Could you help me find what I am doing wrong? 

Thanks!

1

0

JeffreyTranberry

Adobe Administrator

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15.9K Messages

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295.3K Points

Do you get an error? Can you post the source PSD (CC files or Dropbox) so we can help troubleshoot?

Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Digital Imaging

Like

5 m ago

0

evelyn chambers

1 Message

 • 

60 Points

5 m ago

Hi, I am having a similar issue. I have a windows 10 desktop and am working in PS 2020. I get an error after clicking save from the save for the web window. I was able to save as and save a .gif that way but it has a lot of noise in the images. I have saved using save for the web before but this is a bigger file than before. I have a very powerful desktop though so this shouldn't be a problem with the computer not being able to handle it. I have also flattened the images to try to help the file size but it didn't seem to do anything. What am I doing wrong and how do I save a better quality gif?

Thanks!

0

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Tessarakt

1 Message

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60 Points

7 d ago

I am running on the newest version of photoshop and have updated my Mac to the latest update. I exported two gifs by doing File> Export> Save to web and it was really slowing down my machine and was giving me a lot of difficulty because I keep getting a “could not complete this operation” notice. Now after finally exporting those two I try and export my final animation and I start getting the “could not complete this operation “ notice. I have the exact same settings at the ones that did export and I even cleared my cache so I don’t understand what the problem is. Please help 

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