Optimizing without Image Ready
to convert/ compress full-color navigation and other small page graphics to gif files

Open a (psd) image

Make a copy and work on it

Inspect graphic carefully at high magnification

• no unnecessary colors
  • remove random pixels of stray color
• simplify graphic
  • simplify unnecessary shading, etc.

Change image mode from RGB to "Indexed Color" (Image>Mode>Indexed Color)

Select "Web" palette option and do not dither (forces all colors into browser safe colors)

Switch image mode back to RGB

Switch the image mode again to Indexed Color but this time choose "Exact" option from color palette menu (removes all colors except those actually used)

Export with the "Gif89A" export plug-in. (do not interlace small graphics)*

*Remember not to work on a gif image while it is in indexed color mode. The best option is to go back to the original RGB file (the Photoshop document, for example) and change that version then convert to indexed color mode and save as a gif. The second best option is to just convert the image to RGB mode, make the changes then convert back to indexed color and save as gif again.