How to Create Custom Export Presets in GIMP

Saving custom export presets in GIMP speeds up your workflow by automatically applying your preferred image quality, compression, and metadata configurations for specific file formats. This guide outlines the exact steps required to configure and save these custom settings in GIMP so you do not have to manually adjust your parameters every time you export an image.

Step 1: Open the Export Dialog

  1. Open any image in GIMP.
  2. Click File in the top menu and select Export As... (or press Shift + Ctrl + E on Windows/Linux, Shift + Cmd + E on macOS).

Step 2: Select Your Desired File Format

  1. At the bottom of the export window, click Select File Type (By Extension).
  2. Choose your target format (such as JPEG image, PNG image, or WebP image).
  3. Choose a destination folder, enter a file name, and click Export. This opens the format-specific settings dialog.

Step 3: Configure Your Custom Settings

In the format dialog that appears:

  1. Adjust the primary settings, such as Quality or Compression level.
  2. Click to expand Advanced Options to access detailed settings.
  3. Toggle options such as Save EXIF data, Save color profile, Save thumbnail, or subsampling methods according to your workflow requirements.

Step 4: Save as Default Preset

  1. Once all parameters are set to your preference, locate the preset management area at the bottom of the dialog.
  2. Click the Save Defaults button (or the + icon next to the preset dropdown, depending on the format).
  3. GIMP will store these settings as the standard configuration for all future exports in that file type.

Managing or Resetting Presets

To restore the original export configuration at any time, open the export dialog for that file format, expand the options, and click Load Defaults. This resets the export parameters back to GIMP's factory settings.