PHOTOSHOP FILE EXTENSIONS
Photoshop can save many of its settings as separate files. This allows the settings to be shared or stored centrally so they can be used on other images. The table below lists these file extensions, what they contain and the click path, if appropriate, to access or create the file. Most of the file extensions below are not image file formats.
File Extension | What It Is | Click Path |
ABR | Brushes | Edit > Preset Manager, then select Brushes |
ACB | Color Books | Click the foreground/background icon in the Tools panel to display the Color Picker dialog box, then click Color Libraries. The libraries shown are the color book ACB files. |
ACO | Swatches | Edit > Preset Manager, then select Swatches |
ACT | Color table | File > Save for Web, then click the Color Table flyout menu icon , then click either the Load or Save Color Table options |
ACV | Curves adjustment settings | Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves, click OK, then click either the Load or Save button. |
ADO | Duo/tri/quad tones | Image > Mode > Duotone |
AHU | Hue/Saturation adjustment settings | Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation, click OK, then click either the Load or Save button. |
AI | Adobe Illustrator file | File > Export > Paths to Illustrator |
ALV | Levels adjustment settings | Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels, click OK, then click either the Load or Save button. |
ASL | Styles | Edit > Preset Manager, then select Styles |
ASV | Selective Color adjustment settings | Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Color, click OK, then click either the Load or Save button. |
ATN | Actions | Make the Actions panel the active panel. Left click an action to highlight it, then click the flyout menu icon , then click either Load or Save Actions. |
AVA | Variations Settings | Image > Adjustments > Variations |
AXT | Color Range settings | Select > Color Range |
AXT | Replace Colors | Image > Adjustments > Replace Color |
CHA | Channel Mixer adjustment settings | Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Channel Mixer, click OK, then click either the Load or Save button. |
CSF | Color settings | Edit > Color Settings |
CSH | Custom Shapes | Edit > Preset Manager, then select Custom Shapes |
GRD | Gradients | Edit > Preset Manager, then select Gradients |
HDT | High Dynamic Tone mapping options | HDR Conversion dialog box when converting a 32 bit HDR image to a 8 or 16 bit image file. |
HOWTO | How To Help index file | This is a unicode text file and should be accessed using your computer's text editor. It is used to create entries in the Photoshop Help menu. |
IROS | Output settings | File > Save for Web, then click the Preset flyout menu button , then click Edit Output Setting, then click either the Load or Save buttons. |
IRS | Optimized settings | File > Save for Web, then click the Preset flyout menu button , then Save Settings |
KYS | Keyboard shortcuts | Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts |
MNU | Custom menus | Edit > Menus |
MTX | ZoomView image definition | The ZoomView file that defines the image. Automatically created by Photoshop when an image is exported to ZoomView. |
MZV | ZoomView tile file | Automatically created by Photoshop when a ZoomView file is created. |
PAT | Patterns | Edit > Preset Manager, then select Patterns |
PMG | Photomerge Composition | File > Automate > Photomerge |
PSD | Photoshop Document. Photoshop's proprietary image file format | File > Save |
PSF | Proof settings | View > Proof Setup > Custom |
RCV | Response Curve | The Load from File button on the Merge to HDR preview box. |
SHC | Contours | Edit > Preset Manager, then select Contours |
SHH | Shadow/Highlight Presets | Image > Adjustments > Shadow/Highlight |
STA | Image statistics | Image > Adjustments > Match Color |
TPL | Tool Presets | Edit > Preset Manager, then select Tools |
XMP | Extensible Metadata Platform. Metadata file format used by Photoshop. | File > File Info > Advanced and then either Replace, Append or Save. |
ZVT | ZoomView template | File > Export > ZoomView, then click the Load button to load a ZoomView template. Also see MTX and MZV. ZoomView is a trademark of Viewpoint Corporation. |