Image Compressor
Compress and resize images to reduce file size without losing quality. Perfect for web optimization, email attachments, and storage management. All processing happens in your browser - your images never leave your device.
How to Compress Images Effectively
Image compression reduces file size while maintaining acceptable visual quality. This is essential for faster website loading, reduced storage usage, and easier file sharing. Our tool offers both lossy and lossless compression options.
Compression Strategies
80-90% quality is ideal for web use - minimal visible difference but significant size reduction. Below 70% may show visible artifacts.
WebP offers best compression. JPEG is great for photos. PNG is best for graphics with transparency. Choose based on your needs.
Resizing to appropriate dimensions before compression dramatically reduces file size. Don't use 4000px images for 400px displays.
Image Format Comparison
| Format | Best For | Transparency | Compression | Browser Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPEG | Photos, complex images | No | Excellent (lossy) | 100% |
| PNG | Graphics, logos, text | Yes | Good (lossless) | 100% |
| WebP | Everything (modern) | Yes | Best (both) | 97%+ |
| GIF | Simple animations | Yes (limited) | Poor | 100% |
Recommended Quality Settings by Use Case
- Web hero images: 80-85% quality, max 1920px width - Balance between quality and load time
- Blog thumbnails: 70-75% quality, 400-600px width - Smaller files for faster page loads
- Product photos: 85-90% quality, 1200-1500px width - Higher quality for detailed viewing
- Social media: 75-80% quality, platform-specific sizes - Platforms compress anyway
- Email attachments: 70-80% quality, 800-1200px width - Reduce email size limits
- Printing: 95-100% quality, full resolution - Preserve quality for physical output
- Background images: 70-75% quality, appropriate viewport sizes - Can be lower since they're decorative
Understanding Lossy vs Lossless Compression
Lossy Compression (JPEG, WebP)
Removes some image data that's less noticeable to the human eye. Results in smaller files but quality cannot be recovered.
- Much smaller file sizes (50-90% reduction possible)
- Best for photos and complex images
- Quality degrades with repeated compression
- Ideal for web and digital distribution
Lossless Compression (PNG)
Reduces file size without removing any image data. Perfect quality preservation but larger files than lossy compression.
- No quality loss, perfect reconstruction
- Best for graphics, logos, and screenshots
- Supports transparency
- Larger files than lossy compression
Image Optimization Best Practices
- Start with high quality source: Always compress from the highest quality original, not pre-compressed images
- Resize before compressing: Reduce dimensions first, then apply compression for best results
- Choose the right format: Use JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics, WebP for modern browsers
- Test different settings: Compare quality vs file size to find the sweet spot for your use case
- Use progressive JPEGs: They load faster by showing a low-quality preview first
- Remove metadata: EXIF data from cameras can add significant file size
- Batch process similar images: Use consistent settings for uniform quality
- Implement responsive images: Serve different sizes based on device viewport
- Use lazy loading: Only load images when they enter the viewport
- Consider CDN optimization: Many CDNs offer automatic image optimization
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my image uploaded to your server?
No! All image processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your image never leaves your device and is not stored, uploaded, or transmitted anywhere. This tool is completely private and secure.
What's the best quality setting?
For web use, 80-85% quality is the sweet spot - it provides excellent visual quality while significantly reducing file size. For photos that need to look perfect, use 90-95%. Below 70% may show visible compression artifacts.
Should I use WebP or JPEG?
WebP offers better compression than JPEG (typically 25-35% smaller) with similar quality and is now supported by 97%+ of browsers. Use WebP for new projects. Use JPEG if you need maximum compatibility with older browsers or software.
Can I compress images multiple times?
With lossy compression (JPEG, WebP), each compression degrades quality further. Always compress from the original high-quality source. With lossless compression (PNG), you can compress multiple times without quality loss.
What dimensions should I use for web?
For full-width hero images: 1920px width. For content images: 800-1200px. For thumbnails: 300-600px. For mobile, serve smaller versions. Never use 4000px+ images for web display - resize to actual display size first.
Why is PNG file size larger than JPEG?
PNG uses lossless compression which preserves all image data, resulting in larger files. JPEG uses lossy compression which removes imperceptible details. Use PNG for graphics/logos needing transparency, use JPEG for photos.