There are many reasons why you may want to reduce the file size of an image. The most common reasons include:
- To reduce page load times on websites
- To make images easier to email or share online
- To save storage space on your computer or phone
Reducing image sizes can be done in many different ways. In this article, we will cover the main methods for reducing image file sizes without sacrificing too much quality:
- Use image editing software to compress images
- Change image dimensions
- Crop images
- Change image file formats
- Use online image compressors
Follow the tips in this guide to quickly and easily reduce image sizes for faster web pages, easier sharing, and less storage space used.
Use Image Editing Software to Compress Images
The best way to reduce image file sizes while maintaining quality is to use image editing software like Photoshop, GIMP, or other similar tools. These programs allow you to manually optimize and compress images in ways that balance file size and quality.
Here are some tips for compressing images in editing software:
- Open the image and go to Save As… to bring up image saving options
- Change the image type to JPEG instead of PNG or TIFF for better compression. JPEG uses “lossy” compression that removes unnecessary image data.
- Adjust the JPEG quality setting. The lower the quality, the smaller the file size. Try between 60-80% quality.
- Check for any JPEG compression artifacts like blockiness. If so, increase quality until it looks acceptable.
- Save and compare file sizes. Repeat as needed to optimize for size and quality.
Advanced photo editors like Photoshop also offer specialized compression tools like Save for Web which can further optimize JPEG, GIF and PNG file sizes.
The flexibility of manually optimizing images in editing software allows you to get the best balance of size and quality for each image.
Change Image Dimensions
One of the biggest factors determining image file size is the pixel dimensions – the width x height size of an image. Large high-resolution images take up a lot more storage space.
You can dramatically reduce image sizes by simply scaling down the pixel dimensions:
- Open the image in editing software and go to Image Size
- Reduce the pixel dimensions by 50-75% while keeping the aspect ratio locked
- Resample the image using Bicubic sharper to retain quality when downsizing
- Save the smaller version and compare file sizes
Some common image dimension guidelines:
- Web images – Scale to between 800-1200 pixels on the longest side
- Email attachments – Resize to 600 pixels or less on the longest side
- Mobile: 72-96 dpi, max width of 5 inches
The exact dimensions depend on where you need the smaller image. For web and email, focus on getting images down to 1-2 MB or less in size if possible.
Crop Images
Cropping images by removing outer edges can also help reduce file sizes while focusing on key image content:
- Open the image in editing software and select the crop tool
- Remove any unnecessary outer edges and backgrounds
- Resize and reposition to focus just on the main subject
- Crop to common aspect ratios like 16:9 or square if needed
- Save the cropped image and check the file size
Cropping works best with images that have extraneous background content outside the main subject. Be careful not to crop too tightly and remove key parts of the photo.
Change Image File Formats
The file type, or format, that you save an image in has a big impact on the file size. Some formats like JPEG compress images more than others like TIFF and PNG.
Image Format | Characteristics |
---|---|
JPEG | Compressed format good for photos. Some quality loss. |
PNG | Good compression for images with flat colors. No quality loss. |
GIF | Smaller color palette. Good for logos and icons. Supports animation. |
TIFF | Larger uncompressed format. Highest quality. |
To change formats:
- Open the image in editing software
- Go to Save As… and choose a compressed format like JPEG
- Adjust options like Quality for optimal compression
- Save in new format and compare file size
JPEG is a good all-purpose compressed format. GIF works well for simple images like logos. PNG is better for images with flat areas of color.
Use Online Image Compressors
There are many free online tools you can use to compress images quickly without installing any software:
- TinyPNG – Compresses JPEG and PNG files. Simple drag and drop.
- Squoosh – Google’s image compressor. Offers many advanced options.
- CompressJPEG – Easy to use JPEG compression and resizing.
To compress images online:
- Go to the website for one of the tools above
- Upload the image you want to compress
- Set options like quality and resize pixels
- Click compress and wait for it to finish processing
- Download the optimized image
Online compressors provide a fast, easy way to reduce image sizes without any software required. Results can vary so try a few different tools.
Conclusion
Reducing image file sizes is easy to do for faster websites, easier sharing, and less storage usage. Use image editing software to manually optimize compression and dimensions for the best results. Simply resizing, cropping, and changing formats can also help dramatically reduce size with minimal quality loss. Online image compressors provide a quick way to optimize files on the fly.
With the right techniques, you can cut image file sizes in half or more without sacrificing quality. Compressing photos before posting them online or emailing will make for much faster loading web pages and email attachments.