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How to Compress a Photo: Compress JPEG Guide
There are a few easy ways to compress image files.
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Whether you’re running a website or using social media, images are crucial. They provide a visual representation of your brand and its offerings, catching the eyes of prospective customers. However, if a website uses poor image quality or its pages take too long to load because the image files are too big, some consumers will be turned off immediately. Conversely, quality images that load quickly can strengthen a brand’s reputation.
To maintain high image quality without impacting page load time, your business may need to resize and compress large photos. In this guide, you’ll learn how to compress a photo, including how to compress a JPEG.
What is photo compression?
Photo compression, or image compression, is a process that reduces an image’s file size so that it takes up less memory in your computer without downgrading the image’s quality too much. Compressing photos is not an overly complicated process and it’s a good way to save computer memory.
Why photo compression matters for businesses
Photo compression has become essential for business success in today’s digital landscape, directly impacting website performance, search engine rankings and user experience.
- Website speed and performance: Large, uncompressed images can significantly slow down website loading times which hurts business performance. For example, research from Illustrate Digital’s 2024 Global Page Speed Report confirms that a one-second load time on a B2B website leads to conversion rates that are five times higher than those of sites loading in 10 seconds.
- SEO and search engine rankings: Google’s Core Web Vitals metrics directly measure loading performance through Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), which should occur within 2.5 seconds. Images often represent the largest content element on a page, making their optimization critical for meeting these performance standards. Poor-performing pages in Core Web Vitals can negatively impact search rankings, while optimized pages are more likely to achieve higher visibility in search results.
- User experience: The business consequences of slow-loading images extend beyond rankings. According to a 2024 survey by Intelligence Node, half of all shoppers abandon product pages lacking accurate information and visuals, with over 57 percent deterred from purchasing due to poor descriptions or missing images. Additionally, 2023 data shows that the global online shopping cart abandonment rate reached 70 percent for the first time since 2013, with poor website performance being a key contributing factor.
Technical compression fundamentals
Understanding compression ratios and quality preservation helps businesses make informed decisions about image optimization.
Compression ratios and file size reduction
JPEG compression typically achieves 40 to 60 percent file size reduction while maintaining acceptable visual quality. For example, a 2MB original image can often be compressed to 800KB-1.2MB without noticeable quality loss. The compression ratio depends on image content, with photographs containing fine details achieving different ratios than images with large solid color areas.
Modern compression tools can achieve even higher compression rates. For example, advanced algorithms can compress existing JPEG files between 15 and 25 percent, and for JPEGs compressed at low-quality settings, improvements of up to 65 percent are possible. Tools like TinyJPG commonly reduce file sizes by 40 to 60 percent while preserving visual quality.
Quality preservation metrics
Quality assessment in JPEG compression involves balancing file size against visual fidelity. A compression quality setting of 70 to 80 percent typically provides the optimal balance for web use, while settings below 50 percent often result in visible artifacts. The compression process works by analyzing 8×8 pixel blocks and reducing high-frequency components that are less perceptible to human vision.
Professional tools often measure compression effectiveness using metrics like PSNR (Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio) and SSIM (Structural Similarity Index) to ensure optimal quality preservation.
How to compress a photo
Photo compression takes just a few steps and can be done using a variety of software. If you don’t know how to compress photos, here are the steps using different types of software. Even small business owners or entrepreneurs who rarely use computers can figure out how to compress image files.
How to compress an image using Photoshop
If you’re looking for photo-editing software, there are dozens of quality options. You can use advanced platforms like Adobe Photoshop or the simplified, less expensive versions like Adobe Photoshop Elements to perform image edits.
If you’ll only use photo-editing software to compress or resize a few images, don’t pay for a service like Photoshop when you can use a free option like the GNU Image Manipulation Program, better known as GIMP. These free alternatives tend to be well-regarded and should be simple enough for new users to pick up.
Follow these steps to compress your images using Photoshop.
- Open the image you want to compress in Photoshop.
- Go to the file menu in your software and choose Export As…
- Click on JPG as your file type in the pop-up menu.
- Move the “Quality” slider to the left to compress the image.
- Click Export and save the compressed image.
Image editing can be tricky at times, so it’s a good practice to save an original copy in case something goes wrong during the process. It’s never a bad idea to use a duplicate image to make changes.
How to compress a photo using Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is another option for image compression. Follow these steps to compress your images using Microsoft Word:
- Open Microsoft Word and open a new Word document.
- Click on the Insert tab on the top left side of the screen.
- Choose the Pictures icon from the list of choices and then select This Device.
- A list of files on your computer will pop up. Select the picture file you want to compress by double-clicking on it. The picture will be added to your document.
- Click on the picture. Under Picture Tools, select the Picture Format in the Adjust group, then choose Compress Pictures. If you wish to compress only a single picture rather than all the pictures in the document, select Apply only to this picture.
- A pop-up screen will give you options. Either click OK to accept the default resolution or choose the quality of the photo compression by ticking the box beside the option you want and then press OK.
- Save your document and the photo will compress.
If you just want the photo to appear in the document without a lot of white space around it, then you will need to change the size of your document to the size of your photo or as close to the same size as you can get. Here’s how to do that:
- Go to the Layout tab at the top of the Microsoft Word screen.
- Click on the Size icon from the Page Setup group.
- Select your custom paper size.
- Save your document.
How to compress images on a smartphone
If the images you need to compress are already saved on your smartphone, you can use mobile editing apps like Instasize to compress them. Open the photo, edit the image according to your preferences and save the photo back to your phone’s gallery. The saved image will come in a smaller image file size, and you’ll be able to play around with filters, borders and stylized text in one go.
How to compress JPEG files
Whether you’re using a JPEG or any other image file, the process to compress the image should remain largely the same, but with JPEG files, you risk losing resolution when you compress images. If the image is large, you can use Microsoft Paint to resize the image, which should reduce the file size as well.
- Open the image in Microsoft Paint.
- Select the image and use the Resize Input whatever image dimensions you like and keep the Maintain aspect ratio box checked.
- Click OK and the image will resize.
- If you want to crop the image, use the Select button to choose the portion of the image you want to keep, then click Crop.
- Save the image.
You can also compress a JPEG file using some of the other methods we shared above. It depends on your preference and your business’s software capabilities. Compressing JPEG images isn’t rocket science and platforms like Photoshop, Word and Paint can all get the job done.
Troubleshooting common compression issues
Understanding and resolving common compression problems ensures optimal results and maintains professional image quality.
Quality loss and artifact prevention
Excessive compression can introduce visible artifacts including pixelation, color banding and blocking effects. To prevent quality loss:
- Start with high-resolution source images when possible.
- Use quality settings between 60 and 80 percent for JPEG compression.
- Avoid compressing already-compressed images multiple times.
- Test different compression levels on a small section before processing entire batches.
If compression artifacts appear, increase the quality setting by 10 to 20 percent increments until artifacts disappear. Remember that file size increases exponentially with quality, so find the minimum acceptable quality for your use case.
Format compatibility problems
Different platforms and browsers may handle compressed images differently. Common compatibility issues include:
- Color profile mismatches between RGB and CMYK
- Progressive JPEG loading problems on older browsers
- Metadata retention requirements for professional photography
To ensure broad compatibility, use standard RGB color profiles and baseline JPEG encoding. For e-commerce applications, test compressed images across multiple devices and browsers to verify consistent appearance.
Batch processing challenges
When compressing multiple images simultaneously, common issues include:
- Inconsistent compression ratios across different image types
- Memory limitations when processing large batches
- Filename conflicts and organizational challenges
Solutions for efficient batch processing:
- Group images by type (photos vs. graphics) for consistent results.
- Process batches of 50 to 100 images at a time to avoid memory issues.
- Use automated naming conventions with compression settings in filenames.
- Create backups before batch processing to enable quick recovery.
For large-scale operations, consider dedicated batch compression tools like Mass Image Compressor or cloud-based solutions that can handle thousands of images efficiently.
Technical optimization tips
Advanced troubleshooting techniques for professional results:
- Use lossless compression tools first to remove unnecessary metadata.
- Consider progressive JPEG encoding for images over 100KB.
- Implement responsive images with multiple compression levels for different screen sizes.
- Monitor Core Web Vitals scores to measure compression effectiveness.
Photo compression FAQs
Sean Peek and Skye Schooley contributed to this article.
