Start with a copy and a reference
Save the original PSD somewhere safe and work on a duplicate. In the application that produced it, export a reference image at the intended output size. Note the source application and version, canvas dimensions, colour profile and fonts. If the reference already looks wrong, fix that before comparing another editor.
Open the copy in PhotoCraft and compare the canvas before making changes. Keep three separate files: the original, the copy saved by PhotoCraft and a flattened export. This makes it easier to find whether a difference first appeared on opening, after an edit or in the delivered file.
Find the first stage that changed
These are diagnostic steps, not claims that the listed problems occur in every PhotoCraft release. We have not independently tested complex text, masks or smart objects in this guide.
Scroll to view all columns on a small screen.
| What you see | First check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The file opens but looks different | Compare the source reference with the newly opened copy before editing. | Check layer visibility and effects; isolate one layer at a time on a duplicate. |
| Text shifts or wraps | Compare the font, size, line breaks and text bounds in both editors. | Check that the intended font is available and record whether the text remains editable. |
| An edge or masked area changes | View the same area at 100% against light and dark backgrounds. | Inspect the mask and the adjustment separately; keep a source reference. |
| The saved file changes after reopening | Compare the open copy before saving with the reopened saved copy. | Record the layer and operation; preserve both files for a smaller reproduction. |
| A PNG looks right but the PSD is hard to revise | Inspect the actual layers in the recipient’s editor. | Treat the PNG as a flattened delivery and retain an editable source. |
Check text without losing the editable original
Write down the exact font family and style used in the source. A similar-looking substitute can change character widths and push a word onto another line. Compare the same line at the same zoom and canvas size. Check any embedded or linked fonts against their licence before sharing them.
If the recipient only needs a final picture, agree on a flattened preview as well as the source. If they need to rewrite the headline, a picture of the text is not an editable replacement. Keep the original editor and fonts available until that edit has been checked.
Check a mask and its adjustment separately
Choose one obvious edge, such as hair against the background. Compare the unedited source and the opened duplicate at actual pixels. Toggle visibility on a copy to identify the layer responsible, then compare the result with the reference. Re-enable anything you changed before saving a trial copy.
A mask can affect only part of an image, while an adjustment can affect the selected layer or a broader stack depending on how the file is built. Record what you expected and where the difference appears instead of changing several controls at once.
Compare colour and delivery files
Record the document profile and whether the source and receiving viewers apply colour management. Compare images in the same viewer at the same zoom before attributing a change to the PSD. Avoid judging a print proof from a screen preview alone; confirm the recipient’s required profile and proofing process.
A layered PSD, a transparent PNG and a JPEG serve different purposes. PNG can be useful for a flattened image with transparency; JPEG does not preserve transparency. For a job that needs later revisions, agree on the editable file and fonts as well as the preview.
Write a useful report
Record the app build, operating system, file type, exact steps and the first point where the result differs. Keep a small sample that contains the issue, provided you have permission to share it. Remove confidential material before sending any file to a support forum.
For example: “On Windows, the duplicate opens with the headline on one line; after saving and reopening, it wraps to two. The font is installed in both editors.” That gives another person something specific to reproduce.