[Tutorial] Batch process images with Pixelmator Pro

[Wojciech]

I would really need an option to bulk return Photos at 80% quality, is there any way to add it in? I'm currently optimizing images to 2500px . I bought Pixelmator to basically optimize images would be extremely helpful to add that option!

[Andrius]

There currently isn't a way to do this using Automator, but you could use the upcoming AppleScript support to do this and more! What exactly is the workflow you need? Simply export to JPEG at 80% quality? Or resize to 2500px and export to JPEG at 80% quality?

[Wojciech]

Hi Andrius.

I would love to resize to x px and then export at 80% quality, is that something I can do with AppleScript?

[Yelmo]

Hi Andrius.
Are you working in the idea about to add a crop options related with Golden Ratio, Diagonals or so...?

[meagermind]

It would be very useful to be able to include an 'Export for Web' step to the 'convert to jpg' workflow.

[ag123]

The "Apply Color Adjustments to Images" action is well meant and done, but none of the effects (Mono, Noir, Smoky, Vibrant...) meet my requirements even closely. I need to apply certain custom color corrections to a whole bunch of images. How to do that? Thank you

SOLUTION: Ok after some searching found the solution. Pretty simple actually: in "ADJUST COLORS" click the "Add" next to "COLOR ADJUSTMENTS" (located on top). There click "Save as Preset". Then in then app menu chose "View/Presets" to rename and manage presets.

[Andrius]

SOLUTION: Ok after some searching found the solution. Pretty simple actually: in "ADJUST COLORS" click the "Add" next to "COLOR ADJUSTMENTS" (located on top). There click "Save as Preset". Then in then app menu chose "View/Presets" to rename and manage presets.

Yep, that's precisely what you'd need to do!

[Jean Doe]

It would be very useful to be able to include an 'Export for Web' step to the 'convert to jpg' workflow.

I'd like to see this too!

[Thomas Wynne-Bärwald]

Was wondering if it was possible to set the desired compression level for the change image automator function, i.e for HEIF or JPEG?
Thanks,
Tom

[Andrius]

There isn't a way to do this with Automator, but you can create a script for it using AppleScript. There are some examples you might find useful in the following thread:

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=18059

[Will Rees]

I would love that you guys included Automator actions in Pixelmator Pro. I work in web development and WEBP is really starting to get some footing with iOS 14 compatibility. Would it be possible to include WEBP in the "Change Type of Images" action? Thanks!

[Andrius]

I would love that you guys included Automator actions in Pixelmator Pro. I work in web development and WEBP is really starting to get some footing with iOS 14 compatibility. Would it be possible to include WEBP in the "Change Type of Images" action? Thanks!

This one's coming in the next Pixelmator Pro update!

[Will Rees]

This one's coming in the next Pixelmator Pro update!

You guys are the best! Thank you!

[JosephM]

I am wondering how to set the JPEG export quality when using Finder quick actions that use Pixelmator Pro.

For example, I have a denoise action that uses PM Pro to denoise photos.

But there's no option to set the JPEG export quality when designing the quick action.

I can change the file type to JPEG and that's about all the flexibility I have.

[Aurelija]

I am wondering how to set the JPEG export quality when using Finder quick actions that use Pixelmator Pro.

For example, I have a denoise action that uses PM Pro to denoise photos.

But there's no option to set the JPEG export quality when designing the quick action.

I can change the file type to JPEG and that's about all the flexibility I have.

This isn't possible with Quick Actions but macOS Shortcuts support that we'll be adding to Pixelmator Pro shortly, allowed us to expand more on the file optimization for export. There's already a Pixelmator Pro build on TestFlight where you can try those new actions out (if you're already running macOS Monterey beta).

[Jasn]

Is there a way to change the color profile, bit depth and pixels/inch while keeping the same resolution?

Ideally I'd like to:

1. Change pixels/inch from 72 to 300
2. keep same resolution after step 1 (it will automatically upsize the resolution and you have to change it back)

3. change color depth to 8-bit
4. change color profile to sRBG (universal/match)
5. Apply color Adjustment preset *available
6. resize *available

[simonasd]

Hi Jasn, at the moment, Pixelmator Pro features Shortcuts actions for every step in your workflow, except for setting a custom DPI for your image. I've added your +1 for this feature. We'll see what we can do!

[meagermind]

I have an automator app that uses the 'Scale Images' action to resize images to the default 640x480 size. However, whenever I run this on a folder of images, most of the scaled images end up as blank white images. Some work each time and it's not always the same ones.

UPDATE: it seems to work as expected when used with the Shortcuts app rather than with Automator. All good.

I now have a shortcut that takes the images from a folder, converts them all to jpg, resizes them, and optimizes them for the web.

[alexlii]

Hello,

I tried a lot, but I failed, is there a way to bulk-crop or batch-crop images?

Thanks so much.

[Urpgor]

I'm also looking to batch process a large number of images. Specifically, I would like to slice images in precisely in half, saving both the left 50% and right 50% with appropriate filenames. Images with an odd numbered width lose the left 1px width from the lefthand edge, thus ensure that subsequent slicing results in two identically wide images, that if put back together would appear seamless.

Currently I'm manually processing images using Export for Web and slicing images there. While I have managed to streamline the process by using a layer to hold the slice definitions, the process is still a chore.

Twenty years or so ago, I would've used Fireworks to do tasks like this. It had a brilliant History Panel feature which recorded all of the users actions within a session (very like a visible undo/redo activity list). Best of all multiple history items could be selected and re-played (i.e. the actions could be applied again) and/or converted into a "Command" macro. These "commands" could then be used during batch processing, making complex repetitive tasks relatively easy to apply across many images (An example building, saving and applying "commands" can be seen in this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/SyiGLD7xum4?t=62 ). I would love to see something similar in Pixelmator Pro.

Failing that, having a Automator function for dividing images up would be most welcome.

Note: The Export for Web (K) panel "Export" button never seems to remember the previous export location. Seems to be a bug. If I use Export from the File menu the location is correctly pre-selected.

[GeorgeMiller3]

I post images online for products and a feature that provides dpi control would be great.

[freesas24]

When using the Automator action to convert to WebP the quality will always be the default value of 85%, is this correct?

[Bcarrotio]

Yeap, 85% - it’s by default. You can modify the settings to desired level with a custom Quick Action in Automator.