On a Windows machine, can Photoshop CC 2018 create an optimized JPEG at 72 dpi?

[station__wagon]

For whatever reason, our Content Management System (CMS) requires uploaded images to be 72 dpi.

As a non-print designer, I work in 72 dpi. I know I could work in other resolutions but I've settled on 72 and I say "dpi", not "ppi." I'm old school. I remember when Photoshop was just a stick, a handful of rocks, and some loose dirt. So it's 72 dpi.

I personally like to optimize JPEGs for the web. So I use "Export As..." or the "Save for Web (Legacy)" options to save JPEGs at 50 to 60% quality or whatever.

Trouble is, Photoshop decides that 72 is a no-go and is exporting my images at 96 dpi (which is like the Windows monitor default). Our CMS will upload 96 dpi images, it just then may or may not display the image on the (web)page. It seems totally random. So obviously this is a huge problem for me.

We recently switched from Mac to PC to save a couple bucks so I have a feeling this problem is Windows related. You know, beyond WIndows itself.

So, is it even possible to create an optimized JPEG at 72 dpi? How do I accomplish this? Get a Mac?

[D Fosse · Accepted solution]

Save For Web and Export strip the resolution metadata altogether. Pixels per inch is not a file property, it is just a metadata tag. For screen viewing (and by extension web), ppi is moot and irrelevant and not needed. Ppi is a print parameter.

In other words - a file coming out of SFW/Export does not have a ppi at all. It's not 72, not 96, not 300 or anything else.

When you reopen the file into another application, a default ppi is usually (but not always) assigned. In Photoshop this default happens to be 72, but in many Windows applications the default is 96.

[station__wagon]

Thank you for your answer. An extra star for you for using the word "moot" as well.