Guide

How to Reduce Image File Size: 5 Methods That Actually Work

Need a smaller file? Work through these five levers, roughly in order of impact.

1. Change the format

A photo saved as PNG is often 5-10x larger than the same photo as JPG or WebP. Converting alone can cut a file from megabytes to kilobytes.

2. Lower the quality setting

JPG quality 80 typically halves the size compared to quality 95 with little visible change. This is the highest-value lever for photos.

3. Reduce the dimensions

An image for a web page rarely needs more than 1600 pixels of width. Halving both dimensions cuts the pixel count - and roughly the file size - by 75%.

4. Strip metadata

Camera files carry EXIF blocks - sometimes tens of kilobytes, occasionally including GPS. Re-encoding removes them and protects your privacy.

5. Reduce colors (PNG only)

Screenshots and flat graphics can drop from millions of colors to a few hundred with no visible change.

Combine two or three of these and almost any image can shrink by 80-95% while still looking good.