Made Good Designs

Image Compressor

This free image compressor shrinks JPG, PNG, WebP, and HEIC files right in your browser, with simple quality and dimension controls and automatic metadata stripping. It is batch-friendly, needs no signup, and runs entirely on your device, so your images are never uploaded to a server. Drop in a photo or a whole folder, dial in the quality, and download lighter files in seconds, completely private.

100% private — runs in your browser

Drop images here

JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC · multiple files OK

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Metadata is removed by default (uncheck to keep EXIF). PNG keeps transparency; JPEG/WebP/AVIF use a white background when enabled. AVIF output requires a modern browser. Files never leave your device.

How to use the image compressor

  1. Drag and drop one or more images onto the drop zone, or click to browse and select JPG, PNG, WebP, or HEIC files from your device.
  2. Choose an output format, or keep the original. Use JPG or WebP for photos and PNG or WebP when you need transparency.
  3. Adjust the quality slider to balance file size against visual detail. Lower quality means smaller files; higher quality keeps more detail.
  4. Optionally set a maximum width or height to resize large images before they are compressed, which often saves the most space.
  5. Preview the estimated output size and compare it against the original to confirm the result looks good.
  6. Click compress, then download each image individually or grab the whole batch at once.

Because the image compressor runs client-side, nothing leaves your computer. You can compress image files from your phone, laptop, or a shared machine without worrying that a copy is stored on someone else’s server.

Lossy vs lossless compression and how quality affects size

Compression comes in two broad styles. Lossy compression, used by JPEG and the lossy mode of WebP, permanently discards some image data to achieve dramatically smaller files. The quality setting controls how aggressive that trade is: at high settings the discarded data is mostly invisible, while at very low settings you may notice blockiness, color banding, or soft edges. Lossless compression, used by PNG and the lossless mode of WebP, rebuilds the exact original pixels, so there is no visible quality loss, but the savings are more modest.

For most web photos, a moderate lossy setting strikes the best balance. As you lower quality the file size drops quickly at first, then levels off, so there is usually a sweet spot where the image still looks clean but is a fraction of its original weight. Flat graphics, logos, and screenshots with large solid areas tend to do better with lossless PNG or WebP, where sharp edges stay crisp.

Which format should you compress to?

The right format depends on the content of the image. The table below summarizes how the main web formats behave so you can pick the one that gives the smallest file at acceptable quality.

Format Best for Transparency Typical compression behavior
JPG / JPEG Photographs and complex images with many colors and gradients No Lossy; small files at good quality, but artifacts appear at very low settings
PNG Logos, icons, line art, screenshots, and images needing transparency Yes Lossless; sharp edges stay clean but files are larger for photos
WebP Most images on modern websites, photos and graphics alike Yes Lossy or lossless; usually smaller than JPG or PNG at similar quality
HEIC Photos straight from newer phones and cameras Yes Efficient capture format; convert to JPG or WebP for broad web support

As a rule of thumb, use JPG for photos when you need maximum compatibility, PNG for graphics and anything with transparency, and WebP when you want the best overall size-to-quality ratio and your audience uses modern browsers.

Why smaller images matter

Images are often the heaviest part of a web page, so compressing them is one of the most effective ways to speed up a site. Smaller files download faster, which lowers the time visitors spend staring at a blank or half-loaded screen. That directly improves Core Web Vitals, especially Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), which measures how quickly the main image or block of content appears.

Faster pages tend to keep visitors engaged and can support better search performance, since page experience is one of the signals search engines consider. Lighter images also reduce bandwidth, which saves money on hosting and is kinder to people browsing on slow or metered mobile connections. Whether you are publishing a blog, an online store, or a portfolio, compressing your images before you upload them pays off across the board.

Tips for the best results

  • Resize before you compress. If an image is 4000 pixels wide but displays at 800 pixels, shrinking the dimensions first removes far more weight than quality settings alone. Match the largest size the image will actually be shown at.
  • Strip metadata. Photos carry EXIF data such as camera model, settings, and sometimes GPS location. Removing it trims a little size and protects your privacy. This tool strips metadata automatically.
  • Target sensible file sizes. For full-width hero images, aim for roughly 150 to 300 KB; for in-content photos, often under 100 KB; and for thumbnails and icons, just a few kilobytes. Use the preview to check you are hitting your target before downloading.
  • Compare before and after. Always glance at the preview at full size, especially on detailed photos, to make sure the quality setting has not introduced visible artifacts.

How to compress an image to a target file size

Many uploads enforce a hard limit, such as under 100 KB for a forum avatar, 200 KB for a government or job-application form, or 1 MB for an email attachment. Hitting a specific number is a matter of working two levers together: dimensions and quality. Start by resizing the image to the largest size it will actually be shown or accepted at, since cutting pixel width is what frees up the most weight. Then lower the quality slider step by step and watch the estimated output size update until it drops just under your target, while the preview still looks clean.

If quality alone will not get you there, reduce the dimensions further or switch to a more efficient format like WebP or AVIF, which reach the same target at a higher visual quality. Photographs squeeze down far more easily than flat graphics, so for a tight limit on a logo or screenshot, trimming the canvas or the number of colors helps more than the slider. Because the preview shows the size before you download, you can land on the exact target in a few quick adjustments.

When AVIF and WebP beat JPG

JPG is the safe, universally supported choice, but newer formats compress the same photo much harder. WebP is typically around 25 to 35 percent smaller than JPG at a comparable quality and adds transparency, making it a strong default for modern sites. AVIF usually goes smaller still, holding fine detail and smooth gradients with less banding, so it shines for large hero photos and rich, colorful images. The trade-off is reach: JPG opens everywhere, WebP is supported by virtually all current browsers, and AVIF, while now widely supported, decodes a little slower and is worth a fallback for older software. Choose AVIF when maximum compression matters and your audience is on up-to-date browsers, WebP for an excellent all-round balance, and JPG when broad compatibility outweighs the last few kilobytes.

Use case Suggested format Target file size
Email attachment JPG or WebP Under 1 MB
Full-width web hero WebP or AVIF 150–300 KB
In-content blog photo WebP or JPG Under 100 KB
Thumbnail or icon WebP or PNG A few KB to 30 KB
Social media post JPG or WebP 200–500 KB
Form or avatar upload JPG Meet the stated limit, often under 100–200 KB

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Frequently asked questions

How do I compress an image?

Add your file to the tool, pick a format if you want to change it, and lower the quality slider until the estimated size meets your goal while the preview still looks good. Then click compress and download. You can compress image files one at a time or in a batch.

What is the difference between lossy and lossless compression?

Lossy compression discards some image data to make much smaller files, with a small and usually unnoticeable quality trade-off. Lossless compression keeps every original pixel exactly, so there is no visible quality change, but the files stay larger. Photos suit lossy; flat graphics and transparency suit lossless.

Will compressing reduce my image quality?

Lossy formats like JPG and lossy WebP do remove some detail, but at moderate to high quality settings the change is hard to see. PNG and lossless WebP do not reduce visible quality at all. Use the preview to find a setting that looks clean for your image.

Which format is best for the web?

WebP usually gives the smallest files at a given quality and supports transparency, making it the best overall choice for modern sites. JPG remains the safest pick for photos when you need maximum compatibility, and PNG is ideal for sharp graphics and images that need a transparent background.

How small should web images be?

It depends on their role. Large hero images often land around 150 to 300 KB, regular in-content photos under 100 KB, and small thumbnails or icons just a few kilobytes. The right target is the smallest size that still looks good at the dimensions the image is displayed.

Does this work offline, and is it private?

Yes. The image compressor runs entirely in your browser using your device’s own processing power. Your files are never uploaded to a server, so the tool keeps working once the page has loaded and your images stay completely private.

Can I compress multiple images at once?

Yes. The tool is batch-friendly. Add several files together, apply your settings, and compress them all in one pass, then download them individually or together.

Is it really free?

Yes. The image compressor is free to use with no signup, no watermarks, and no limits on how many images you compress.

How do I compress an image to under 100KB?

First resize the image down to the dimensions it will be displayed at, then lower the quality slider while watching the estimated output size until it falls below 100 KB. If a photo will not fit at acceptable quality, switch to WebP or AVIF, which reach the same target while keeping more detail. The preview confirms the final size before you download, so you can dial in just under the limit.

How do I compress an image without losing quality?

Use a lossless format such as PNG or lossless WebP to keep every original pixel, which is ideal for logos, screenshots, and line art. For photographs, a high lossy setting (roughly 70 to 85 for JPG, and often lower for WebP or AVIF) usually looks identical to the original while still cutting the file size substantially. Resizing oversized images first also trims weight without touching the visible quality at display size.

Is AVIF better than WebP for compression?

AVIF generally produces smaller files than WebP at the same visual quality and handles fine detail and color gradients especially well, so it is excellent for large or richly colored photos. WebP encodes faster and has slightly broader, longer-established support. Both beat JPG on size, so choose AVIF for maximum compression on modern browsers and WebP for a dependable all-round balance.

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