There are a few ways to make a transparent overlay in Photoshop, and the method you choose will depend on the final product you’re hoping to create. If you’re wanting to create a transparent background for use on the web, then you’ll want to use the ‘Export for Web’ function.
However, if you’re wanting to create a transparent overlay for use in another application, like Microsoft Word, then you’ll need to use the ‘Save for Web’ function. Let’s take a closer look at each method:
Export For Web
The ‘Export for Web’ function is best used when creating transparency for web-based applications. To use this method:
- Open your image in Photoshop.
- Click on the ‘File’ menu and select ‘Export. ‘
- Choose ‘ Export for Web (Legacy). ‘
- In the ‘Settings’ section, select your desired transparency format from the drop-down menu. The most common format is PNG-8.
- Click ‘OK’ to export your image.
Save For Web
The ‘Save for Web’ function is best used when creating transparency for applications that are not web-based.
To use this method:
- Open your image in Photoshop.
- Click on the ‘File’ menu and select ‘Save for Web & Devices. ‘
- In the ‘Settings’ section, select your desired transparency format from the drop-down menu.
- Click ‘OK’ to export your image.
Both methods will give you similar results, so it really just comes down to which application you’ll be using the image in. If you’re not sure, then try both methods and see which one gives you the better results.