How to reduce the size of a JPEG file

Almost everyone who deals with images and computers knows about JPEG image files in today's world. The widespread use of the file format across technological mediums has pushed people to familiarize themselves with it. JPEG image files are also a favorite of websites and online stores like Shopify, thanks to their reasonably small file size.

Sometimes, JPEG files can be larger than expected. They may take up too much space on your storage, make website load speed slow, or you might find attaching several JPEG images to your email impossible because of the size limit. The good news is there are several, simple ways to reduce the file size.

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Reduce JPEG file size using online tools

The easiest way to reduce JPEG file size is using online tools. There are many tools you can choose from, both free and paid, like our free JPEG compressor by TinyIMG, Compress JPEG, Adobe Express, or iLoveIMG.

Here’s how to use an online compressor to reduce JPEG file size:

1. Pick a reliable online image compressor, like the JPEG compressor by TinyIMG.
2. Drag and drop up to 10 JPEG files or select the images that you wish to compress from your computer.
3. Wait for the compression to complete and review how much each image saved.
4. Click Download all to get your compressed files.

How to reduce JPEG file size on Windows

1. Open the JPEG file with a double-click or Right-click file > Open With > Photos

2. Click the three dots in the top menu or right-click the image and select Resize image

3. Lower the Quality slider to shrink the file size.

4. Press Save to save the reduced JPEG file on your PC.

Change a JPEG size using Paint

Here are the steps to resize a JPEG file on a Windows 10 or 11 operating system.

1. Open the image in Windows Paint. On the bottom of the Paint window, the current dimensions of the image are displayed
2. Choose the Home tab
3. Find and choose the Resize button. The button is right next to the select button on the top left side
4. A pop-up dialog box will open where you can enter several values. First, enter a new horizontal or vertical value. Remember to leave the "Maintain Aspect Ratio" button selected.
5. Click OK
6. On the bottom of the main Paint window, you will see the new resized dimensions of the image
7. Save the resized JPEG image

How to reduce JPEG file size on Mac

Resizing JPEG files can be done using the Preview application on a Mac.

1. Open Applications > Click and Open the Preview App

2. Find the file that you want from the pop-up file explorer window

3. To change the image, click Tools > Adjust Size

4. A pop-up menu with image dimension settings opens up

5. You can choose to proportionately change the height and width of the image by entering either the width or the height value, while the lock icon is closed

6. Changing the image resolution is another way to compress the file size. 72(PPI) is best suited for only digital images. For images that will be printed, the PPI(Pixels Per Inch) has to be higher.

7. Click OK to close the pop-up

8. Click File > Save As to save the modified version of the image

How to reduce JPEG file size in Photoshop

Photoshop is one of the best image editing software for simple and advanced image editing tasks. Here is how you can use Photoshop to resize the image.

1. Open Adobe Photoshop on your computer
2. Choose File > Open and choose the image you wish to edit
3. Select Image > Image Size
4. A dialog box will appear with Pixel Dimensions and Document Size settings
5. Choose a proportionate width/height with the link button "on"
6. You can choose to reduce the resolution value or keep it. 300ppi is for print files, and 72ppi is for online/digital files.
7. You can choose the resampling method options available for the best outcome
8. The best resampling methods for reducing file size are Bicubic Sharper or Bicubic
9. Click on OK
10. Save Image

How to reduce JPEG file size on Android

The most convenient way to resize JPEG file size on Android is by using a third-party app. Currently, Photo & Picture Resizer is one of the most popular image-resizing apps on the Google Play store. So, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

1. Head to the Google Play store and download the Photo & Picture Resizer app.

2. Click the Select Photos button and open your image.

3. Choose a specific size in the dimension options window or enter a custom size.

That’s it – your pictures are automatically saved to your phone.

How to reduce JPEG file size on iOS

You can easily reduce the JPEG file size on iOS in your phone settings. This method helps you take photos in a predefined smaller format. While your photos will take much less space, the quality of your images won’t suffer.

Here’s a quick guide on how to change JPEG file sizes on your iOS devices:

1. Go to Settings on your iPhone

2. Scroll down to find the Camera button and click it

3. Head to Formats

4. Click “High Efficiency” – it ensures the smallest possible size without quality reductions

You may also manually reduce image size on your iPhone by getting a third-party app from the App Store, like Photo Compress, Compress Photos & Pictures, or others.

Other ways to reduce a JPEG file size

There are a few extra ways you can reduce the JPEG file size if other ways don’t seem convenient. Let’s review them.

Convert to PDF and back

1. Convert your JPEG file to PDF using a free online tool like the Adobe converter
2. Compress the PDF file using an online PDF file compressor
3. Download the compressed PDF and use a free PDF to JPEG converter
4. Now, download the JPEG file and that’s it

Use AI compression tools

Some online JPEG compression tools, like Nero AI, use AI to remove unnecessary details. The AI algorithms examine the content and colors of the image to reduce the file size without affecting image quality.

Crop the image

If you want to reduce the file size of an image that contains some empty spaces or extra background, you can simply crop it. Most tools, including the Windows Photo app or Mac Preview, allow you to easily crop images.

Convert the image

Some image formats offer smaller file sizes at a similar quality compared to JPEG. For example, Google Developers found that WebP file size is around 25-34% smaller compared to JPEG.

Here’s how to convert your JPEG file:

1. Open an online tool that converts images, like the TinyIMG online WebP converter or AVIF converter
2. Drag and drop your images
3. Once the process is complete, click Download

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About the author

Gillian Jane Mercylin

Gillian is a versatile digital specialist who has managed and consulted for innovative businesses, globally. She is a digital design, marketing, advertising and SEO specialist. Yes! She is a cluster of creativeness with unrivaled knowledge and deep rooted understanding in the digital industry. When she writes, she does so with passion to share her knowledge with those who can benefit from it.