.psb

What is a .psb file?

PSB is Photoshop's large document format for files exceeding PSD's 2 GB size limit or 30,000-pixel dimension limit.

Safe format
Type Image
By Adobe Systems
MIME image/vnd.adobe.photoshop

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What is it

PSB exists because PSD hits a wall. Standard PSD files max out at 2 GB file size and 30,000 pixels in either dimension. For panoramic photos, high-resolution scans, large-format print work, and composites that exceed these limits, Photoshop saves as PSB instead. The format supports up to 300,000 pixels per dimension and no practical file size limit.

Internally, PSB is nearly identical to PSD — same layer structure, same channel data, same metadata. The difference is in the file header and offset calculations that allow for the larger sizes. Everything that works in PSD (layers, masks, smart objects, adjustment layers, blend modes) works identically in PSB.

The catch is compatibility. Far fewer applications support PSB compared to PSD. Photoshop and Photopea (browser-based) handle it. GIMP has limited PSB support. Most other image editors and viewers don't recognise the format. If your file doesn't need to exceed PSD's limits, save as PSD for better compatibility.

Technical details
Full Name
Photoshop Big Document
MIME Type
image/vnd.adobe.photoshop
Developer
Adobe Systems
Magic Bytes
38 42 50 53
Safety
.psb is a known, safe format. Image project file. No executable content.
What opens it
Adobe Photoshop
$22.99/mo Windows / Mac
Photopea
FREE Web
Affinity Photo
$69.99 Windows / Mac
FAQ
What's the difference between PSD and PSB?
They're functionally identical except for size limits. PSD: max 2 GB, 30,000 pixels per dimension. PSB: no practical file size limit, up to 300,000 pixels per dimension. All features work the same in both.
Can I convert PSB to PSD?
Only if the image dimensions are under 30,000 pixels and the file size is under 2 GB. In Photoshop, use File → Save As → Photoshop (.psd). If the file exceeds PSD limits, you'll need to resize or flatten first.
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