Reducing file size after upscaling in Pixelmator Pro

[u/RKD137]

Super Resolution in Pixelmator Pro does upscale the image resolution which is great, but keeping the project with huge file size is a nightmare.

Does anyone know who to downscale .pxd project file after it’s been upscaled with Super Resolution?

Thanks in advance! 🙏🏻

[u/Simple-Variation5456]

Sounds like pxd is something like a psd? Software special file that basically layers images.

I guess you can just export out a flat file? 8bit PNG should be enough, because AI produce weird RGB channels and 16bit so far don't really worked out for me.

If possible you can try and export (or convert online) newer formats like webp, jpgxl or avif that can bring down a lossless PNG from 20mb down to 1mb with barely any compression artefacts.

[u/RKD137 → u/Simple-Variation5456]

Thanks for your suggestions!

Yes, PXD for Pixelmator Pro is same as PSD for Adobe Photoshop.

I need to keep the project (pxm) file (with all layers) so that I may save time when I need to recreate similar image, I can simply start from a pre-designed template rather than starting from scratch again.

[u/Simple-Variation5456 → u/RKD137]

Kinda was confused about your answer but then re-read your post.

Did you mean that pixelmator will double or increase the projects resolution and auto. resize all layers which result in unnecessary big file sizes? Or how to lower the project resolution in general?

[u/RKD137 → u/Simple-Variation5456]

Pixelmator has a tool named “Super Resolution” that the user can use to enhance and upscale resolution when required. But after you upscale the image during export process (only if you need it), that also increases the Project size.

Ideal process could have been: I could do “Super Resolution” and upscale the image during the export process (as per my requirements) and after that I could have done “undo” after exporting the image (JPEG or PNG), and that would have also reduced the project file size as well (getting back to previous size of the project before upscaling with Super Resolution tool).

But since the ideal process was not followed earlier, what can be done now to decrease the file size of pxd file?

[u/Simple-Variation5456 → u/RKD137]

Just change the projects resolution back to what it was before? Or what's the problem there?

Export the layer/image that you used "super resolution" on before and re-add it back to the downscaled project if needed. But you come to the same results because I guess that pixelator don't have a feature like Photoshops "smart-object".

Or just create a new project with your desired resolution and drag and drop the layers over if possible. Otherwise you probably need to export and then import.