Want to save memory or send lightweight files? Check out this guide on how to compress photos on your phone and laptop without sacrificing quality!
Knowing how to compress photos has become an essential digital skill today. With today’s increasingly advanced smartphone cameras, a single photo file can easily reach a dozen Megabytes (MB).
This will certainly create new problems, ranging from devices running out of storage space quickly, to difficulty uploading photo documents as email attachments or meeting online registration requirements that limit file sizes.
To overcome this problem, you need to perform compression, also known as a way to reduce photo size. Many people worry that this process will make the image blurry or pixelated. However, with the right methods and tools, you can drastically reduce file size without damaging its visual details.
So, how do you compress photos in a practical, fast, and safe way, whether on a phone or PC? Come on, check out the 8 methods below in full!
How to Compress Photos on Various Devices
Here is a summary of compression methods you can adjust to your device and available apps:
1. How to Compress Photos Using an App on Your Phone
For Android and iPhone users, using a photo compression app is the most practical shortcut. You can process multiple images at once (batch compress) directly from the gallery.
- For Android: Download free apps like Photo Compress 2.0 or Lit Photo.
- For iPhone (iOS): Use the Compress Photos & Pictures app.
- Usage Steps
- Open the app, select the photos you want to reduce in size, adjust the compression percentage as needed, then click Save. The new, lighter photo will be automatically saved to the gallery.
2. How to Compress Photos Online via a Website
If your phone’s memory is full and you can’t install additional apps, online photo compression is the best solution. This method can be accessed from any device via a browser.
- TinyPNG
- Although its name is associated with PNG, this site is also very capable of processing JPG files. Its algorithm can reduce file size by up to 70% while maintaining high quality.
- iLoveIMG
- An all-in-one site that allows you to compress various image formats (JPG, PNG, GIF). Simply upload your photo, let the system process it automatically, then click the download button.
3. Using Adobe Photoshop Software
For those who work in design or are used to PC software, Photoshop provides the most detailed and accurate compression control.
- Open your photo file in Adobe Photoshop.
- Go to File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy).
- In the settings panel on the right, select the JPEG format.
- Adjust the Quality slider to 60-80. This range is the ideal point for compressing photos without reducing visible quality.
- Adjust the image dimensions if needed, then click Save.
4. Using Microsoft Paint (Built-in Windows)
Don’t have Photoshop? Don’t worry, you can use Microsoft Paint, which comes pre-installed on all Windows laptops or PCs.
- Find the photo you want to edit, right-click, then select Open With > Paint.
- In the toolbar at the top, click the Resize option.
- Select Percentage to reduce the photo based on ratio, or Pixels to change its size specifically.
- Click OK, then go to File > Save As > JPEG picture.
5. Using Preview App (For Mac)
For Apple ecosystem users (MacBook or iMac), you don’t need third-party apps because the built-in Preview app is already very capable.
- Double-click your photo to open it in Preview.
- In the top menu bar, click Tools, then select Adjust Size.
- In the pop-up window that appears, change the pixel resolution or percentage to reduce its size.
- Set the desired quality, then click OK and save.
6. How to Compress Photos with Google Photos
For those who use Google Photos cloud storage, this app provides an automatic compression feature to save your Google Drive quota.
- Open the Google Photos app on your phone or via a browser.
- Go to Photos Settings.
- Find the Backup option, then tap Backup Quality.
- Change the option from Original Quality to Storage Saver. Photos will be automatically compressed to a lighter size (max 16 MP) when uploaded to the cloud.
7. Using File Compression Tools (WinRAR / 7-Zip)
If you need to send 50 high-resolution photos to a client or lecturer via email, compressing photos on a laptop using archiving software is the solution.
- Select or block all the photos you want to send.
- Right-click, then select Add to Archive (if using WinRAR/7-Zip).
- Select the .ZIP or .RAR format.
- Set the compression level (e.g., Best), then click OK. Dozens of your photos are now wrapped into a single file with a much smaller byte size.
8. Using the Photos App on Windows
In addition to Paint, the built-in Photos viewer app on Windows 10 and Windows 11 also provides a quick compression shortcut.
- Open your photo through the Photos app.
- Click the Three Dots icon in the top right corner, then select Resize.
- The system will offer three instant options: Small, Medium, and Large.
- Select the size that matches the maximum attachment limit you need, then click Save As to the storage folder.
FAQ
Will compression make the photo blurry or pixelated?
If you reduce it extremely (down to just a few Kilobytes), the photo will definitely be blurry. However, if you reduce the quality to 70-80% of the original size, the pixel changes are almost indistinguishable to the naked eye (lossless compression).
What is the best image format for the smallest file size?
JPG/JPEG is the best standard for small size with reasonable quality. If you use a modern device, WebP or HEIC formats offer much smaller file sizes compared to JPEG with equivalent sharpness.
Why does a ZIP file containing photos have a size not much different from the original?
Image formats like JPEG are already compressed file formats. Wrapping them into a ZIP usually won’t reduce the size drastically, but its main function is to combine multiple photos to make them tidy when attached to an email.
Very diverse and practical to try, isn’t it? By practicing how to compress photos that best suits your device, you can save storage space, speed up the upload process, and avoid problems when attaching digital files.
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