Photos from a modern phone can be several megabytes each. That is far more than most websites, forms or emails need. You can shrink them a lot and still look good.
Three ways to make an image smaller
- Lower the quality setting a little. This removes detail most people cannot see.
- Reduce the size in pixels. A photo for a screen rarely needs to be wider than 1920 pixels.
- Change the format. WebP is often smaller than JPG at the same visible quality.
How to compress
- Open Compress Image and add one or more pictures.
- Set the quality, the largest side in pixels, and whether to save as JPG or WebP.
- Press the button and compare the sizes shown.
- Download the files, or the ZIP if you added several.
Good starting settings
A quality around 70 to 80 percent and a largest side of 1920 pixels is a good starting point for photos shared on screens. If the result still looks sharp and is small enough, you are done. If not, go lower in small steps.
When you need an exact size
Some forms ask for a precise file size, such as under 100 KB. For those, Resize Image to KB is easier, because you type the target and it finds the right quality for you.
Common mistakes
- Compressing a picture again and again, which adds up to visible loss.
- Using a very low quality for photos of faces.
- Saving a transparent logo as JPG.
- Throwing away the original.
Why images are bigger than they need to be
Modern phones take photos of 12 megapixels or more, often 3 to 8 MB each. That is far more than a website, a chat message or an email needs. Reducing the file size makes pages load faster, saves mobile data and fits upload limits, usually with no visible difference.
The balance between size and quality
Compression removes information that the eye is unlikely to notice. A moderate setting normally cuts the size in half or more while keeping the picture looking the same. Pushing further produces visible blocks and blurry edges, especially in the sky, in skin tones and around text.
- Start with a medium quality setting and compare to the original.
- Zoom in to 100 percent to check details.
- Stop as soon as you can see a difference.
Good habits
Always compress a copy, not your original. Avoid compressing a picture that has already been compressed several times, because the loss adds up. If the image is far bigger than where it will be shown, resize it as well, since fewer pixels reduce the size more than compression alone.
Which format to compress
The format makes a difference. Photographs compress best as JPG or WebP. Screenshots and graphics with flat colours are better in PNG, and large PNG files can often be made smaller by reducing the number of colours or by converting them to WebP.
If you are not sure, compress a copy in two formats and compare the sizes and the look. Pick the smaller file that you are happy with.
For websites, small images also help search rankings, because faster pages are a better experience for visitors. Compressing every image before you upload is one of the simplest ways to speed up a site.
Frequently asked questions
Can I compress many pictures at once?
Yes. Add several and download them together.
Should I choose JPG or WebP?
WebP is usually smaller. Choose JPG when the place you upload to may not accept WebP.
Are my pictures uploaded?
No. They are processed in your browser.
Ready to start?
Open Compress Image