How to Compress an Image

To compress an image, drop it into the box above, lower the quality slider or pick a smaller maximum size, and press Compress. The original and new file sizes are shown side by side, so you can check the saving before you download.

  1. Add the image. Drag a JPG, PNG or WebP file onto the box, or click to choose one (up to 10 MB).
  2. Set the compression. The output format starts as the format of your file. Move the quality slider down for a smaller file, and choose a maximum size such as 1920px or 1280px if the image is larger than it needs to be.
  3. Compress and download. Press the button, compare the sizes, then download the smaller file - or press Publish & get a link to host it and share a link.

Compress a JPG

JPG (JPEG) files compress well. A quality setting of around 70-80 is usually hard to tell apart from the original at normal viewing sizes and gives a much smaller file; below about 50, blocky edges and smeared detail start to show. Photos straight from a phone are often several thousand pixels wide, so choosing a maximum size of 1920px or 1280px saves even more than the quality slider alone.

Compress a PNG

PNG is a lossless format: it keeps every pixel exactly, so there is no quality setting to lower. There are two ways to make a PNG smaller here:

  • Reduce its dimensions. Pick a smaller maximum size; half the width is roughly a quarter of the pixels.
  • Convert it to WebP. Choose WebP as the output format. WebP keeps transparency and is usually far smaller than the same image as PNG.

For screenshots with text, keep the quality high so the letters stay sharp.

Compress a WebP

WebP is already an efficient format, but a large WebP can still be reduced by lowering the quality or the dimensions, the same way as a JPG. To turn a WebP into a JPG or PNG instead, use the image converter.

Quality vs File Size

Compression is a trade-off: every step down in quality removes a little more detail in exchange for a smaller file. Check the preview after compressing - if edges look soft or skies look banded, go back and raise the quality. Animated GIFs are not supported here, because compressing works on a single frame and the animation would be lost; to share a GIF as it is, use GIF hosting.

Need to trim the edges first? Crop the image, then come back and compress it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I compress an image?
Drop the image into the box on this page, lower the quality slider or pick a smaller maximum size, and press Compress. The new file size is shown next to the original before you download.
Is the image compressor free?
Yes. It is free, with no account and no watermark.
Is my image uploaded when I compress it?
No. JPG, PNG and WebP files are compressed in your browser. Nothing is uploaded unless you press Publish to get a link.
How do I compress a PNG?
PNG is lossless, so the quality slider does not apply to it. To make a PNG smaller, choose a smaller maximum size, or convert it to WebP, which keeps transparency and is usually much smaller.
Does compressing an image reduce quality?
Lowering the quality setting removes detail that is hard to see at normal sizes; at very low settings it becomes visible as blur or blocky edges. Compare the preview before you download, and raise the quality if it looks worse.
Can I compress a GIF?
Not here. The compressor works on a single frame, so an animated GIF would lose its animation. Host the GIF as it is on our GIF hosting page instead.