What action would you take to maintain the quality of an image when resizing it in Photoshop?

When resizing an image in Photoshop, maintaining quality is crucial, and using the Image Size dialog box with Resample disabled is an effective method. When you disable resampling, Photoshop keeps the original number of pixels in the image as the dimensions change, which helps preserve quality. This means the image maintains its original detail and sharpness during resizing, as no new pixels are created or existing pixels discarded.

Disabling resampling allows you to adjust the dimensions without altering the pixel data, which is particularly important for high-quality outputs. This technique is often used when you want to print an image at a different size while retaining the necessary resolution for clear printing.

Using the Free Transform tool can lead to quality loss if the image is scaled beyond its original dimensions, as it can distort the pixels. Conversely, enabling resample when resizing in the Image Size dialog box allows Photoshop to add or subtract pixels, which might result in either poor quality or unwanted artifacts, depending on how it processes the image. While Smart Objects can help in non-destructive transformations, they are not specifically tied to maintaining quality during resizing unless paired with careful techniques, such as using resampling appropriately.