A PSD file is an Adobe Photoshop Document. It’s the primary file type for anything you create in Photoshop. The benefit of a Photoshop file is that it preserves the layers of a design.
PSD Files Preserve Your Layers
Photoshop layers contain all the different elements of your design. PSD files might have a simple graphic or hundreds of layers with editable text, images, and effects. Because of their capacity to preserve many different design components, PSD files can become quite large.
Remember to Save Your File as a PSD!
If you’re working on a project in Photoshop, make sure to save it as a PSD file in addition to exporting your design. Even if you are in a rush, taking the extra time to preserve your work will allow you to revisit the layers to make changes.
Avoid Headaches, Save Your PSD Files!!
If you forget to save a PSD file of your work, you might have to completely re-redo it to make a simple change. For example, if you want to slightly re-position something, you’ll need access to the Photoshop layers.
You’ll avoid many headaches if you remember to save your designs as PSD files. Trust us; we’ve made this mistake many, many times before.
Use Your PSD Files with InDesign or Illustrator
You can pull PSD files directly into Adobe InDesign or Illustrator. It’s common for a design to start in Photoshop and move on to another application. This workflow allows you to take advantage of the different tools across multiple Adobe applications.
PSD Layer Limitations
However, you can only edit individual layers while you’re in Photoshop. Your layers will be flattened into a single image once you bring your PSD into another application.
Don’t Use Photoshop for Text
Photoshop is not the correct Adobe application for text. It is a raster-based application, not a vector-based application. “Place” or open your PSD into Illustrator before you add text.