Creative detail and destination detail are two passes
Downsampling is a low-pass operation even when the resampler is excellent. It combines neighbouring samples and reduces the steepness of edges. The correction belongs after the resize because a one-pixel radius must be measured on the destination grid, not on a master that may be four times wider.
The route opens on a radius of 0.8 pixels and amount 90 percent as a screen-output pass. The creative diagnosis still runs and remains editable, but a normally sharp master often needs little or no creative sharpening before this destination pass is applied.
The opening numbers, kept visible
| Decision | Opening | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Input | Final resized copy | Pixel radius must match destination grid |
| Output preset | Screen, after a downsize | Restore acutance removed by resampling |
| Radius | 0.8 px | Narrow enough for a small display image |
| Amount | 90% | Adjust against the one-to-one patch |
The result that means the pass went too far
Thin bright outlines, brittle diagonals, sparkling foliage and text-like edges around eyelashes mean the pass is too strong. A small image can look acceptably crisp at fit size while already carrying those defects, so the one-to-one patch is the deciding view.
Inspect at one image pixel per screen pixel and use the halo overlay before export. A fit-to-window preview hides exactly the bright and dark rims this decision can create.
Questions about the destination
Why does a smaller copy look softer?
Resampling averages source pixels into fewer output pixels. That suppresses the highest spatial frequencies and makes an edge transition occupy a larger share of the new image.
Should I resize inside this tool?
No. Bring the already resized final copy. This instrument sharpens at the pixel grid it receives and intentionally does not hide a resize operation inside export.
Can sharpening restore details removed by a severe downsize?
No. It can steepen surviving transitions. Texture that averaged away into one pixel has no separate values left to recover.
