Layerzip

PSD to transparent PNG

Drop a PSD to get a PNG that keeps its transparent background, soft shadows and anti-aliased edges. The file is read in this tab and never uploaded. Free for one flattened PNG at a time, up to 30 MB.

How to convert a PSD to a transparent PNG

  1. Check the PSD: in Photoshop a transparent area shows as a grey checkerboard. If a filled Background layer was visible when the file was saved, the PNG will be opaque too.
  2. Drop the .psd on the converter above, or click to choose it.
  3. Look at the preview. Transparent areas are drawn over a checkerboard, so you can see what will stay clear.
  4. Click Download PNG. The PNG is created in your browser with the full 8-bit alpha channel.

What “transparent” means in a PSD

A PSD stores transparency per pixel, as an alpha value from 0 (fully clear) to 255 (fully opaque). PNG stores exactly the same thing, which is why PNG is the usual export for logos, product cut-outs, stickers, UI icons and overlays. JPG cannot store it.

When Photoshop saves with Maximize Compatibility (the default), the file also carries a flattened copy of the visible document, alpha included. Layerzip uses that copy for the flattened PNG, so what you get matches what the document looked like in Photoshop at save time: hard edges stay hard, feathered edges stay soft, shadows stay partly see-through.

Common reasons a PNG comes out opaque

  • A visible Background layer. Photoshop’s locked Background layer is always opaque. If it was showing, the stored composite is opaque.
  • A full-size fill or adjustment layer set to a solid colour.
  • You picked JPG. JPG flattens transparency onto white.

If you cannot re-save the PSD, export each layer instead: Export all layers as PNG writes one PNG per layer, each with its own alpha, so you can drop the background layer and keep the rest.

Limits

  • Free: one flattened PNG at a time, files up to 30 MB and 8,000 px on the long edge. Paid plans raise this to 200 MB and 12,000 px (Pricing).
  • 16-bit and 32-bit documents are read, but the PNG is 8 bits per channel.
  • CMYK documents are converted to RGB with an approximate profile, so colours can shift slightly. Transparency is not affected.
  • Files saved without a composite get a best-effort flatten that uses normal blending only.

Questions

Why is my PNG white instead of transparent?

Almost always because the PSD has an opaque Background layer (or another full-canvas fill layer) that was visible when it was last saved. The flattened image stored in the file includes it. Either hide that layer and save again, or export the layers separately on Export all layers: each layer PNG has its own transparency, so the background layer simply becomes one of the files.

Are semi-transparent pixels kept?

Yes. Partial alpha is copied as it is stored: a pixel at 50% opacity stays at 50% in the PNG. In our own tests a 50% blue square came out with alpha 128, the same value the PSD stored.

Do drop shadows and glows stay see-through?

When the PSD contains its flattened composite (Photoshop’s Maximize Compatibility setting, on by default), yes: effects are already baked into that image and its alpha. If the file has no composite, Layerzip rebuilds a best-effort image from the layer pixels, and layer styles may be missing.

Can I get a transparent JPG?

No. JPG has no alpha channel. If you choose JPG, transparent areas are filled with white. Use PNG when you need transparency.

Is the PSD uploaded to make the PNG?

No. Parsing and PNG encoding both run inside your browser tab. You can watch the Network panel in your browser’s developer tools while you convert.