Actions are used for automating common sets of actions. The process is very similar to setting a tape recorder running to record something and then you can replay it over and over again. The Actions symbols used in Photoshop are the same as on a tape recorder! Here is how to record an Action to take a landscape format Photoshop file, modify its size to 1024 pixels across the width and save it as a JPEG ready for projection and then close the file.

1. Open the Actions pallet (Alt+F9) or click its tab if it is already open.
2. Click the “new action” icon at the bottom of the pallet. It is just right of the Dustbin.
3. Give your Action a name replacing the default “Action 1” name.
4. Click “Record”. From now, until you click the “Stop” button, everything you do will be recorded and repeated every time you run this Action.
5. Next
   1. Click Layer / Flatten image – this will speed up subsequent activities on multi layered images.
   2. Click Image / Image size / 1024 / OK – this will set the width of the image to that normally used for projection.
   3. Click File / Save for Web & Devices
   4. Select JPEG and the quality level you want.
   5. Click Save
   6. Navigate to the location where you want the JPEG file saved.
   7. Click File / Close / No – WARNING! Make sure to click No when asked if you want to save as clicking yes will also apply the image size reduction to the original .psd file.

Back on the Actions pallet click the Stop Recoding icon – this is on the left side of the icons at the bottom of the pallet.