Shrink a photo’s file size without uploading it to a server. Pick an image, choose the quality, and download the smaller version – your image never leaves your device.
Your image never leaves your device — the compression happens in your browser.
Read why some images blur when compressed, in our guide: How to Compress an Image Without Making It Blurry
How to use the Image Compressor
- Press Choose an image and pick a photo or graphic from your device.
- Move the quality slider. The default of 75 is a good balance for most photos. Lower means a smaller file and slightly softer detail.
- If the image is very large, use the maximum width option to shrink its dimensions too. This is where the biggest savings usually come from.
- Choose the output format: JPEG for photos, PNG if you need transparency, or WebP for the smallest size on modern websites.
- Press Compress image. The tool shows the original and new sizes side by side, with a preview, and a download link for the compressed file.
How it works
Compression makes a file smaller by storing the picture information more efficiently. JPEG and WebP use what is called lossy compression: they quietly drop fine detail your eyes barely notice. The quality slider controls how much detail is dropped. At 90, you would struggle to see any difference. At 50, the file is much smaller but soft edges and flat areas of colour may start to look rough.
Everything happens inside your browser. The image is never uploaded to a server, which is why the tool works instantly and why your photos stay private. A big photo from a phone camera, often 3 to 5 MB, can usually shrink by 70% or more with no visible change. A small graphic that is already tightly compressed, like a simple logo, may hardly shrink at all, and can occasionally come out slightly larger as a JPEG. That is normal, not a fault.
Worked example
Take a phone photo of 4.2 MB at 4000 × 3000 pixels. Set the quality to 75, the maximum width to 1600 pixels, and the format to JPEG. A typical result would be a file of around 450 KB at 1600 × 1200 pixels. That is roughly a tenth of the original size, small enough to email or upload quickly, and on screen it still looks sharp.
Common mistakes
- Compressing an image that is already small. If the original is under 100 KB, there is little left to save.
- Setting the quality very low to chase a tiny file, then wondering why the photo looks blurry. Stay around 70 to 80 for photos you care about.
- Choosing PNG for a photo. PNG is right for logos and screenshots with text, but photo files in PNG are usually far bigger than JPEG.
- Compressing the same file again and again. Every lossy pass drops a bit more detail, so always work from the original.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Are my photos uploaded to your server?
No. The compression happens entirely in your browser, on your own device. Your files never leave your computer or phone, and we never see them.
Q: Why did my image come out bigger, not smaller?
Some images, especially small graphics and logos, are already compressed as far as they will go. Saving them as a JPEG can add a little size instead. Try a lower quality setting, or keep the original if it is already small.
Q: Which format should I choose?
JPEG for photographs. PNG for images that need a transparent background or crisp text. WebP if the file is going on a website and you want the smallest size.