How to compress an image
- Pick an output format. JPG suits photos, WebP gives the smallest files for websites, and PNG keeps graphics and screenshots pixel-perfect.
- Either set a quality level, or choose a target size such as “Under 100 KB” and let the tool find the best quality that fits.
- Optionally cap the width. A phone photo is often 4000 pixels wide; most screens never show more than 1920.
- Drop your images in and download the compressed copies. Your originals are never changed.
Why this compressor is private
The compression runs inside your browser using the same image engine that displays pictures on the web. Your files are not sent to our servers, so there is nothing for us to store, see or delete. Re-encoding also removes hidden metadata such as the GPS location many phones embed in photos — useful before you post a picture publicly.
Which settings should I use?
| Where the image is going | Typical limit | Suggested settings |
|---|---|---|
| Online forms and job portals | Often 100–200 KB | Target “Under 100 KB” or “Under 200 KB”, JPG |
| Email attachments | Keep each photo under ~1 MB | Max width 1920 px, quality 75% |
| Website and blog images | As small as possible | WebP, max width 1280–1920 px, quality 70–80% |
| Profile pictures and avatars | Usually small squares | Max width 600 px, quality 80% |
| Forums and marketplaces | Varies, often 2–5 MB caps | Max width 1920 px, JPG 80% |
JPG, WebP or PNG?
JPG is the safest choice for photographs: every device and website accepts it, and quality between 70% and 85% usually looks identical to the original while being a fraction of the size. WebP typically produces files 25–35% smaller than JPG at the same visual quality and is supported by all current browsers, which makes it ideal for websites. PNG is lossless, so it is the right format for logos, diagrams and screenshots with sharp text — but it is a poor choice for photos, which become very large.
Why didn’t my file get smaller?
Some images are already well compressed. Saving a heavily optimised JPG again at high quality can even make it slightly larger. Lower the quality, switch to WebP, or reduce the width. Converting a photo to PNG almost always makes it bigger.
Need a specific size in KB?
If a form states a limit, open the page for that size. The target and a suitable width are already set, and each page shows what our test images came out at:
- Compress an image to 20 KB: signatures and small ID photos
- Compress an image to 50 KB: face photos for applications
- Compress an image to 100 KB: job portals and listings
- Compress an image to 200 KB: email and documents
- Any other size in KB, from 10 KB to 1 MB
Compress and share in one step
If you need a link rather than a file, upload the image to PictureToLink. Uploads are compressed automatically, stripped of location data, and you get a direct link, HTML and BBCode straight away.