Convert SAI to PSD

Photoshop and many collaborative art workflows require .psd rather than PaintTool SAI’s native .sai file. Exporting a layered PSD allows the artwork to be edited or shared without flattening it into a PNG or JPEG.

What the SAI format is

.sai is the proprietary project format used by Systemax PaintTool SAI and PaintTool SAI Ver.2. Artists commonly use it for digitally painted illustrations, line art, and manga artwork.

A SAI project can retain editable layers, layer sets, transparency, clipping settings, and SAI-specific paint data. Its internal structure is not documented for general-purpose conversion, so image viewers and most online converters cannot reliably read it.

What the PSD format is

.psd is Adobe Photoshop’s layered document format. Photoshop, Photopea, Krita, Affinity Photo, and other editors can open PSD files, making PSD suitable for transferring layered artwork between applications.

PSD can store separate layers, groups, transparency, masks, text, and blend modes, although support varies by application. Unlike PNG and JPEG, a layered PSD can retain editable document structure; JPEG also uses lossy compression.

How to convert the file

PaintTool SAI is the most reliable converter because it can read the project’s native layer and paint data.

1. Copy the original .sai file as a backup.
2. Open the project in the PaintTool SAI version that created it, or in a compatible later version.
3. Choose File → Save As.
4. Select Photoshop (*.psd) in the format or file-type list, or enter a new filename ending in .psd if the program uses the filename extension to select the format.
5. Save to a new location. If an export dialog offers a layered or flattened option, choose the layered option.
6. Open the PSD in Photoshop or another PSD-compatible editor and inspect the result.

Retain the original .sai file separately. The PSD export is not a replacement for the native project when future work depends on SAI brushes, textures, correction settings, or other SAI-specific data.

SAI and SAI Ver.2 can have different menu layouts and export options, and localized releases may use different labels. If Photoshop (*.psd) is absent, update or install the compatible SAI release rather than renaming .sai to .psd; changing the extension does not convert the file.

Quality and compatibility limits

PSD has no exact equivalent for every SAI feature. Brush behavior, paper and texture settings, correction effects, selected-area information, linework behavior, clipping relationships, blend modes, and layer effects may change or be discarded during export.

Check layer names, layer sets or groups, opacity, clipping, masks, blend modes, canvas dimensions, color mode, transparency, and hidden layers after opening the PSD. A file that appears flattened may have been exported with the wrong option or may contain features the PSD format cannot represent.

PSD support also differs between applications: Photoshop may open features that another editor ignores, and some applications impose limits on layer effects, text, masks, or large documents. Keep a copy in SAI format when exact reconstruction is required.

Online conversion options

There is no widely reliable online service that directly converts arbitrary SAI projects while preserving their layers and SAI-specific data. Reputable browser editors such as Photopea can process PSD after export, but they do not provide a dependable substitute for opening the original SAI file.

Avoid uploading unpublished artwork to unverified conversion sites. If PaintTool SAI is unavailable, ask the file’s creator to open it locally and export a layered PSD; use PNG or JPEG only when a flattened image is acceptable.