Image Compressor

What is image compression?

Image compression reduces the file size of a picture by storing its pixels more efficiently. A smaller file is faster to send, quicker to load on a web page and uses less space on your phone or computer. Done well, the picture looks almost the same as the original, and the saving can be very large.

This tool compresses your images inside your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server, so personal photos, screenshots and work files stay on your device.

How image compression works

There are two kinds of compression. Lossy compression, used by JPG and by WebP in its lossy mode, removes small details that the human eye hardly notices. The file becomes much smaller, but the removed details cannot be brought back. Lossless compression, used by PNG, packs the same pixels into fewer bytes without losing anything, so the saving is smaller.

The quality setting controls how much detail is removed. A lower number gives a smaller file and a softer picture, and a higher number keeps more detail and a larger file. The goal is to find the lowest quality that still looks good to you.

Why smaller images help your website

Images are often the heaviest part of a web page. Large files slow down loading, especially on mobile data, and visitors tend to leave a page that takes too long. Google also looks at loading speed, including how fast the main image or text appears, as part of the page experience.

Compressing images before you upload them to your site is one of the quickest speed improvements you can make. It also saves your hosting bandwidth and storage.

JPG vs PNG vs WebP

• JPG: Best for photos. Small files and no transparency. A quality of 75 to 85 percent usually looks the same as the original.
• PNG: Best for logos, icons and screenshots with sharp edges or transparency. It is lossless, so its files stay larger and compress less.
• WebP: A modern format that supports both transparency and strong compression. It is usually much smaller than JPG or PNG at similar quality, and modern browsers support it.

Step-by-step: compressing your images

• Step 1: Add your images: Drag your files into the box or click Choose images. You can add up to 20 images at a time, up to 25 MB each.
• Step 2: Set the quality: Start with about 80 percent. It is a good balance between size and sharpness for most photos.
• Step 3: Choose the options: Pick WebP as the output format for the smallest files, and set a maximum width if the pictures are larger than you need.
• Step 4: Check the result: Look at the before and after size of each image. If a picture looks too soft, raise the quality and compress again.
• Step 5: Download: Download each image, or click Download all to save everything at once.

Which quality setting should you use?

• Photos for a website: Use 75 to 85 percent. The picture looks sharp and the file is usually a fraction of its original size.
• Email attachments: Use 70 to 80 percent and a maximum width of about 1600 pixels. Most screens do not need more.
• Thumbnails and small previews: You can go lower, around 60 to 70 percent, because small images hide compression well.
• Images with text or sharp edges: Keep the quality higher, or use PNG or WebP, because JPG compression can make letters look fuzzy.

Tips for the best result

• Resize before you compress: A photo straight from a phone camera is often 4000 pixels wide, while a web page may show it at 800. Setting a maximum width saves far more space than quality alone.
• Choose the right format: Use JPG or WebP for photos and PNG or WebP for logos and screenshots.
• Compress once: Compressing a file again and again slowly lowers its quality. Keep your original and compress from it.
• Keep your originals: Lossy compression cannot be undone, so store the original files in a safe place.

Common problems and fixes

• My PNG barely got smaller: PNG is lossless, so it cannot shrink as much as JPG or WebP. Choose WebP as the output, or use JPG if the picture has no transparency.
• The picture looks blurry: The quality is too low, or the image was enlarged. Raise the quality and compress again from the original.
• The new file is not smaller: A picture that is already well compressed may not shrink further. Compare the before and after size, and keep the original if the new file is not smaller.
• My phone photo is not accepted: This tool works with JPG, PNG and WebP. Some phones save pictures in other formats, so change the camera setting to the most compatible format, or convert the picture to JPG first.

Related image tasks

• Change the dimensions: Use the Image Resizer to set an exact width and height.
• Remove a background: Use the Remove Background tool to cut out a subject and save a transparent PNG.
• Pictures into a PDF: Use the JPG to PDF tool to put compressed images into one document.

Compress your images now

Add your pictures in the box above, choose a quality and download smaller files in seconds. It is free, adds no watermark and needs no signup.