How to Compress an Image Without Losing Quality
Large images slow down websites, fill up inboxes and get rejected by upload forms. Compressing an image makes the file smaller so it loads and sends faster. Here is how to do it without making the picture look bad.
Step 1: Choose the right format
Photos are usually smallest as JPG or WebP. Screenshots, logos and images with transparency work better as PNG. If you are unsure, read our comparison of JPG vs PNG.
Step 2: Resize before you compress
A photo straight from a phone can be 4,000 pixels wide, far more than most websites or emails need. Reducing the width to what you actually need is often the biggest saving. You can do this with the Image Resizer.
Step 3: Lower the quality a little
For JPG and WebP, a quality setting between 70% and 85% usually keeps the image looking the same to the eye while cutting the file size a lot. Use the Image Compressor, move the quality slider, and compare the new size with the original before you download.
Step 4: Check the result
Zoom in on details such as text and faces. If you see blocky edges or blurry areas, raise the quality and try again.
Quick tips
- Always keep your original file. Compression cannot be undone.
- Compressing the same JPG again and again keeps lowering its quality.
- PNG is lossless, so quality settings matter less. Converting a photo from PNG to JPG saves far more space.