Compress JPEG Files to a Quality Level or a Target Size

A heavy photo is the usual reason a page feels slow

Photos straight from a phone or camera are made for printing and editing, not for a web page. Putting one on a page at full size makes visitors download far more than they can see. Compressing the file before upload is the quickest fix a site owner can make without touching any code.

Drop JPG or JPEG files on the page, click to choose them, or paste one with Command V or Ctrl V. Add one picture or many. Each appears with its original and compressed versions side by side, and a See at full size button lets you check the detail before you download.

Aim for a quality level or a file size

The Aim for switch gives you two ways to work.

With a file size, the tool tries to bring each picture under the limit. If a file would need to be cut too far, resizing the picture first usually does more good than pushing quality lower.

The other settings, one by one

• Save as keeps the file as JPG, or switches to WebP, which is smaller still.
• Largest side keeps the size, or shrinks the longest side to 2560, 1920, 1280, 1080 or 800 px. Cutting the pixel dimensions saves more than cutting quality alone.
• Photo details can remove all camera, date and place data, keep it without the place, or keep everything.
• Progressive saves the file so it loads in passes, with a rough picture first and sharper detail after.
• Full colour detail keeps more colour information, which helps screenshots with sharp edges and text.

Changing any setting redoes every picture in the list, so you can try different values and watch the result update.

Camera and place data in your photos

A photo can carry the camera model, the date and, if location was on, where it was taken. If you publish a picture of your office or a client site, that place data goes online with it. The Remove them all choice strips it, and Keep them, but not the place is a middle path for people who want the date to stay. Keep them all is there for when you are archiving.

The remaining choices are about the pixels themselves. Our website optimization and conversion service covers the wider job of making a site faster, of which image weight is one part.

Common mistakes when compressing photos

• Compressing a file that was already compressed several times. Start from the original whenever you can, because each round loses detail.
• Choosing a tiny file size for a photo that is shown large. Check the result at full size first.
• Leaving a 4000 pixel photo in a 600 pixel slot. Use Largest side to match the space it fills.
• Sending a screenshot through heavy JPG compression. Text turns fuzzy, so try the Full colour detail option or use a PNG tool instead.

A short routine before you upload

1. Pick the oldest, largest original of the photo.
2. Run the tool once with Aim for set to a quality level, and read the preview at full size.
3. Lower the Largest side until the picture is no wider than the slot it will fill.
4. Only then reduce quality, a little at a time, until you see the first sign of blocky areas. Go back one step.

This order keeps the picture sharp, because shrinking the pixel dimensions first usually costs less visible detail than heavy compression does.

Frequently asked questions

How do I compress a JPG to under 200 KB?

Set Aim for to A file size and choose 200 KB. If the result still looks soft, lower the Largest side first so the tool has fewer pixels to squeeze.

Does compressing a JPEG lower its quality?

Yes, JPG compression is lossy, so some detail is removed to save space. The side by side preview shows how much, and you can raise the quality if it is too much.

Can I compress many photos at once?

Yes. Drop several files, adjust the settings once, and use the Download all as ZIP button.

Will the tool remove the location from my photos?

Yes. Under Photo details, choose Keep them, but not the place, or Remove them all.

Is WebP better than JPG?

WebP usually gives a smaller file at similar quality, which is why it is offered under Save as. Check that the place you are uploading to accepts it.

Are my photos sent to a server?

No. Compression runs in your browser and the pictures stay on your computer.

More free tools

• Compress PNG: Shrink PNG files with fewer colours, a size target or lossless packing.
• image compressor: Compress pictures to a quality level or a target size in KB, with a before and after view.
• image resizer: Resize pictures by pixels or percent with fit, crop or stretch, presets and file type choices.
• JPG to WebP: Convert JPG photos to WebP in bulk with quality, size and photo detail controls.
• Change image DPI: Write a new DPI into JPG and PNG files, or resample a picture to a print size.