Compress JPG Images

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Select an image file to compress (JPG, PNG, WebP)

Step-by-Step Workflow

01

Upload JPG photo to compressor

02

Wait for processing

03

Download results

Specifications

Recommended quality
80% (50-60% size reduction)
Aggressive compression
70% (60-80% size reduction)
High quality
85-90% (40-50% size reduction)
Compression type
Lossy (discards visual data)

The Challenge

JPG photos from cameras and phones range from 2-15MB, exceeding email attachment limits (25MB), slow website load times, and waste cloud storage. Uncompressed photos cause 3-5 second mobile page loads, bouncing 40-50% of visitors before content renders. Email services reject attachments over 25MB—sending 10 phone photos (120MB total) requires splitting into multiple emails or cloud links. Websites hosting 50 uncompressed product photos (150MB total) score poorly on Google PageSpeed, losing search ranking and conversions. Compressing to 80% quality reduces files 50-60% with imperceptible visual loss. One 8MB photo becomes 3-4MB. Ten photos fit in single email. Website loads 2× faster, improving SEO and conversion rates.

Best Practices

  • Resize photos before compressing for maximum savings—4000×3000 photo resized to 1920×1080 is 75% smaller before compression even starts
  • Camera JPGs already compressed at 85-95%—recompressing at 80% yields minimal savings. Check EXIF data for original compression level
  • Compress from RAW or highest quality source when possible—never recompress already-compressed JPG as artifacts multiply
  • For email, target 500KB-1MB per photo—allows 20-40 photos per 25MB limit vs 2-3 uncompressed
  • WordPress auto-compresses uploads to 82% by default—pre-compress at 80% to maintain control over final quality
  • Group photos by compression need—portraits need 85%+, landscapes acceptable at 75%, screenshots at 70%
  • Test compression on one photo before batch processing—verify quality acceptable for your specific use case
  • Store originals separately before compressing—cloud backup uncompressed originals, share compressed versions
  • For websites, combine with lazy loading—compressed images + lazy load = sub-2s page load on mobile
  • Convert PNG to JPG before compressing if no transparency needed—PNG photos compress 60-70% as JPG at 85% quality

Frequently Asked Questions

What quality setting should I use for different purposes?

Web viewing: 80% (50-60% reduction, imperceptible loss). Email attachments: 75-80% (fits more photos). Social media: 70-75% (platforms re-compress anyway). Professional portfolio: 85-90% (minimal artifacts). Print materials: 90-95% (prevent visible degradation). Thumbnails: 60-70% (aggressive compression acceptable). Test settings on sample image—zoom to 100% to check detail preservation.

Can I compress JPG multiple times without quality loss?

No. JPG uses lossy compression—each pass discards more visual data and compounds artifacts. First compression at 80% removes 20% of data. Second compression removes 20% of remaining 80%, totaling 36% loss. Artifacts multiply: blocking, color banding, blur. Always compress from original highest-quality source. Save originals separately before compressing for distribution.

Why does my compressed JPG look the same size as original?

Original JPG likely already heavily compressed. Phone cameras output 85-95% quality JPGs—recompressing at 80% yields minimal savings (5-15%). Check EXIF metadata for original compression. Solutions: 1) Lower quality to 70% for modest additional savings. 2) Resize dimensions if oversized (4K→1080p saves 75%). 3) Accept current size if already optimized. 4) For photos, try converting to WebP (25-35% smaller than equivalent JPG).

How does JPG compression affect image quality technically?

JPG uses DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) converting spatial image data to frequency data. Compression discards high-frequency details human eyes barely perceive. At 80% quality, removes ~20% data from subtle color gradients and fine textures. Below 60%, visible blocking artifacts appear (8×8 pixel squares). Text and sharp edges suffer most—use PNG for text-heavy images, JPG for photos only.

Should I resize before or after compressing JPG?

Resize first, then compress. Example: 4000×3000 photo (8MB) → resize to 1920×1080 (2MB) → compress at 80% (1MB) = 87.5% total reduction. Reverse order (compress first, then resize): 8MB → 4MB → 1MB = same result but slower processing. Exception: if keeping original dimensions, compress only. Resizing already-compressed image doesn't recover lost quality.

What's the optimal JPG size for website product images?

Target 50-150KB per image for product photos. Formula: compress to 80% quality, resize to 1200-1500px wide (sufficient for zoom on 1080p/1440p screens). Larger images (200-400KB) acceptable for hero images or full-width photos. Google PageSpeed penalizes images over 100KB. For e-commerce, 50 products × 100KB = 5MB total vs 50 × 2MB uncompressed = 100MB—20× difference in page load speed.

Does JPG compression remove EXIF metadata (GPS, camera info)?

Yes. Canvas-based browser compression strips all EXIF data: GPS coordinates, camera model, lens info, date/time, copyright. This is privacy feature—prevents location tracking. For professional photography requiring metadata preservation, use desktop tools (Lightroom, Photoshop) or command-line (ImageMagick). For most users, EXIF removal is security benefit when sharing photos publicly.