Compress an image to 20 KB, 50 KB, 100 KB or any size

Many application forms reject a photo or scan that is over a size limit: 20 KB, 50 KB, 100 KB. Pick the limit, drop the picture in, and you get a JPG that is at or under it. The file never leaves your browser.

How to use it

1. Choose the limit the form asks for. Use Other… for any number in KB.
2. Drop your JPG, PNG or WebP image in the box.
3. Click Compress and download. The page shows the final size and pixel size before you upload it.

What it does to the picture

It first lowers the JPG quality step by step and keeps the best quality that still fits. Only if that is not enough does it make the picture smaller (fewer pixels). If the form also asks for exact pixel dimensions, tick Keep width and height, or use the passport photo resizer, which crops to an exact size.

Tips for very small limits (10–20 KB)

• Crop away empty background before compressing. Fewer pixels leave more room for the face or text.
• Plain, light backgrounds compress far better than busy ones.
• For a signature, use dark ink on white paper and crop tightly around it.

Questions

Is my photo uploaded? No. The work happens in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to howITwork.net.

Why JPG? Almost every form accepts JPG, and it shrinks much further than PNG for photos.

My iPhone photo will not open. HEIC photos need to be saved as JPG first. On iPhone, set Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible.