When converting a PSD image file to a PNG and then back to a PSD file, the layers in the PSD files aren’t preserved correctly.
The original “twoLayers.psd” file has two layers in it. However when I converted that to “twoLayer.png” and then converted that to “twoLayer2.psd”. The PSD after translation has only one layer and the background has changed to black. The black background of the “twoLayers2.psd” sort of coincides with the “cropped area” of the first layer - the area you get if you crop the image without losing any pixels.The “twoLayer.png” also has this.
twoLayer.zip (18.0 KB)
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@simon.wiseman,
I have observed your requirements and like to share that when you convert PSD to PNG, the PNG has got no layers. So PNG will be exported as image alone. Therefore, when you will convert that PNG back to PSD, you will not be able to observe the layers available in source PSD. I hope the shared information will be helpful.
Yeah, that’s actually expected behavior.
When you convert a PSD to PNG, all the layer information is basically flattened into a single image. PNG doesn’t support layers like PSD does, so once you export it, that structure is gone.
So when you convert it back to PSD, you’re just getting one flat layer — not the original editable layers. The black background you’re seeing is also pretty common depending on how transparency is handled during conversion.
If you need to keep layers, the only real option is to stick with the original PSD.
That said, if your goal is just to preview the file or extract specific elements, you can use tools that let you view PSD layers and download them individually without flattening everything.