Understanding Dynamic Asset Transformations
Dynamic Asset Transformations (DAT) let you modify and optimise an asset directly in the platform, without creating or storing a separate copy for each size, crop, or format you need. Changes such as resizing, cropping, format conversion, and quality adjustments are applied when the asset is requested, so a single source asset can serve many different uses. This page explains what DAT does and where you can use it.
Why transform assets on demand
Preparing an asset for different channels often means producing many versions of the same image: one size for a banner, another for social media, a different crop for print, and so on. Managing those versions by hand takes time, uses storage, and makes it easy for variations to drift out of step with the original.
DAT takes a different approach. It applies your changes to a single source asset on demand, producing each variation from the one original. The source asset stays the point of truth, and you get the version you need without maintaining a library of copies.
What you can do with DAT
DAT offers standard transformations, adjustments, and AI transformations.
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Standard transformations: resize, crop, rotate, flip, and fill a transparent background with a solid colour.
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Adjustments: fine-tune the image with sliders for brightness, contrast, and other properties.
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File format conversion: output the asset in a different image format.
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AI transformations: remove an image’s background, or extend it beyond its original edges, powered by Adobe Firefly.
Where you can use DAT
You can transform assets in two places, and DAT works the same way in both:
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From Source Assets, using the Transform action.
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From the asset picker when building a template.
For the steps, see Transform an image and Edit an image with AI.