The quickest way to reduce image file size is to make the picture smaller in pixels and save it as a JPEG. Our free image compressor does both in your browser, with no upload.
Built-in options: on Windows 11, use Resize on the Home tab in Paint. On a Mac, open the image in Preview and choose Tools → Adjust Size. On iPhone, keep Settings → Camera → Formats on High Efficiency for smaller photos.
Modern phone cameras take huge photos. That’s great for printing, but a single picture can be too big for an email attachment, a job application portal or a website upload. Here’s how to reduce image file size on whatever device you have, without paying for software. For more app how-tos, see our apps guides.
Why image files get so big
Three things decide how big an image file is:
- Dimensions. The width and height in pixels. Halving both cuts the number of pixels to a quarter, which usually shrinks the file a lot.
- Format. JPEG and HEIC are compressed formats designed for photos. PNG is lossless, so a photo saved as PNG can be several times larger than the same photo as a JPEG.
- Quality. JPEG and WebP let you trade a little detail for a much smaller file. Most people can’t see the difference at sensible settings.
So the recipe is almost always the same: resize to the size you actually need, then save as JPEG (or WebP for websites) at a reasonable quality.
Reduce image file size in your browser (any device)
Our image compressor works on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. Choose one or more images, pick JPEG, WebP or PNG, set a quality and, if you like, a maximum width or height. It shows the new size and how much you saved. The images stay on your device, and re-saving them also removes hidden EXIF details such as location.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter or choose is uploaded.
Choose images to see how much smaller they get, with a download link for each one.
Example A 3 MB phone photo
| Before | 3.1 MB |
|---|---|
| After | 420 KB (86% smaller) |
On Windows 11
Paint
- Right-click the image, choose Open with → Paint.
- On the Home tab, select Resize.
- Enter a new size in pixels or as a percentage of the original. Keep the proportions locked so the picture doesn’t stretch.
- Choose File → Save as and pick JPEG. Give it a new name so you keep the original.
Photos app
The Windows 11 Photos app also has a resize option. Open the picture, select the See more (three dots) menu and look for Resize image, then pick a preset or a custom size and save a copy. Menu names can differ slightly depending on your version of Photos.
Many images at once: PowerToys Image Resizer
If you need to shrink a whole folder, Microsoft’s free PowerToys includes Image Resizer. After installing PowerToys, select the images in File Explorer, right-click and choose Resize with Image Resizer. Pick a preset size and it creates resized copies. In its settings you can add your own sizes in pixels, percent, inches or centimeters.
On a Mac with Preview
Preview, the app that opens images by default on a Mac, can shrink both dimensions and file size.
- Open the image in Preview.
- Choose Tools → Adjust Size.
- To make it smaller in pixels, enter a new width or height, or pick a size from the Fit into menu. Keep Scale proportionally selected.
- To cut the file size further, select Resample image and enter a smaller value in the Resolution field. The new file size appears at the bottom of the window.
- Click OK, then save. Use File → Export if you want a copy in JPEG format.
To shrink several images at once, open them in the same Preview window, select them all in the sidebar, then choose Tools → Adjust Size.
On iPhone
iPhones save photos in HEIF (HEIC files) by default when Settings → Camera → Formats is set to High Efficiency. Apple says HEIF uses less space than JPEG while keeping quality, so leave it on if storage is your concern.
The catch is compatibility. When you send a photo by Mail, Messages or AirDrop to a device that can’t open HEIF, it may be shared as a JPEG automatically. If you need a JPEG for a website or a Windows PC, convert it with our HEIC to JPG converter, then compress it if it’s still too big.
On Android
Android phones vary, so the simplest route is our browser compressor: open it in Chrome, choose the photo and download the smaller copy. Many gallery apps also have a resize option in their edit menu.
If your concern is cloud storage, Google Photos has a Storage saver backup quality. Google says photos larger than 16 MP are resized to 16 MP. Change it from your profile picture: Settings → Backup → Photos & videos quality. This affects backed-up copies, not a file you are about to email.
What size should you aim for?
- Email or forms: check the limit the site or service states, then resize until you are comfortably under it.
- Websites and blogs: there’s rarely a reason to upload a photo wider than the space it fills on the page. WebP is a good choice.
- Printing: keep the original. Shrinking is for sharing, not for prints.
If it doesn’t work
- The file barely got smaller. It may be a PNG photo. Save it as JPEG instead.
- The image looks blurry or blocky. You went too far. Start again from the original with a larger size or higher quality.
- A transparent background turned white. JPEG doesn’t support transparency. Use PNG or WebP for logos and cut-outs.
- You worry about location data. Strip it with our EXIF remover before sharing.
- Your PC can’t open the file. It may be HEIC from an iPhone. Convert it first.
More Windows tips are in our Windows guides.
Related guide: How to Open HEIC Files on Windows 11 (4 Easy Ways, Most Free).
FAQ
How do I reduce the size of a photo without losing quality?
Resize it to the dimensions you actually need and save it as a JPEG or WebP at a fairly high quality setting. At sensible settings the difference is hard to see.
What is the best format for small image files?
JPEG works everywhere. WebP is often smaller and is good for websites. Keep PNG for screenshots, logos and images with transparency.
Can I reduce image file size on Windows without extra software?
Yes. Paint can resize an image and save it as a JPEG. The Photos app has a resize option too.
Does resizing a photo remove location data?
Not always. Some apps keep EXIF data. Our image compressor drops it when it re-saves the image, and our EXIF remover strips it on purpose.
