How to compress a JPEG
- Choose your JPEG files, or drag and drop them onto the box. You can add many at once.
- Set the quality with the slider.
- Watch the size shown for each file. If a result is not smaller, move the quality slider lower.
- Download each file, or use Download all (.zip) when you compressed several.
How JPEG compression works
The quality slider controls how much detail the JPEG encoder keeps. Lower values throw away more fine detail and make a smaller file. Each photo is re-encoded at the quality you choose, and the size before and after is shown so you can judge the trade-off. Photos straight from a camera or phone usually shrink the most; an image that was already saved at low quality may not get any smaller.
Compressed files are saved with -compressed added to the name, so they do not replace your originals in your downloads folder.
Frequently asked questions
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. The converter is a web page that runs in your browser. Your files are read and converted on your own device and are never sent to a server.
What quality should I use?
Start with the default of 70, look at the result, and adjust. Higher values keep more detail; lower values make smaller files with visible blockiness in smooth areas such as skies.
Does compressing a JPEG reduce its quality?
Yes, a little. JPEG compression is lossy, so detail removed cannot be brought back. Keep your original if you might need it later.
Why did my file get bigger?
If the original was already saved at a lower quality than the one you chose, re-saving it can make it larger. Move the slider lower and the file is converted again.
Does the converted file keep the photo’s metadata?
No. The new file is drawn from the decoded pixels, so camera details, date taken and GPS location from the original are not copied into it. Keep the original if you need that information.