Compress JPEG reduces the file size of JPG photos in your browser with an optimised JPEG encoder. Photos from phones and cameras are often saved at very high quality, so they can usually lose half their size or more with no difference you would notice on screen.
Which level to choose
| Level | Quality | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 85% | Photos you may print or crop later |
| Recommended | 75% | Websites, email, sharing |
| Strong | 60% | Thumbnails, chat, strict upload limits |
Only JPG and JPEG files can be added on this page. Need an exact maximum size, for example for an application form? Switch to Target size, or use Compress Image to 100 KB.
Why JPGs shrink so much
A camera or phone has to save each photo in a fraction of a second, so it uses a fast encoder at a high quality setting. Here each photo is encoded again with a slower encoder that analyses the image more carefully and saves it as a progressive JPG. The result is a standard JPG that is noticeably smaller at the same visual quality. If a photo is already well compressed and would come out bigger, the original is kept and marked as such.
What changes in the file
| Item | After compression |
|---|---|
| Pixels | Same size, unless above about 16 megapixels |
| Rotation | Applied, so the photo is upright everywhere |
| EXIF data (GPS, camera, date) | Removed |
| Colour | Converted to standard sRGB |
Tips for best results
- Start from the original. Compressing a photo that was already sent through WhatsApp or a website adds a second round of loss for little gain.
- Look at faces and fine texture. If skin, hair or foliage looks smeared at Strong, go back to Recommended.
- Resize first for the web. A 4000-pixel photo shown 1200 pixels wide wastes most of its bytes. Resize Image before compressing gives far smaller files than compression alone.
- Consider WebP for websites. Set Format to WebP for a further saving, as all current browsers display it.
The photos are compressed in your browser and saved straight to your device, so holiday pictures and ID scans are not uploaded anywhere.