SocialToolsImages · 6 min read · 8 March 2026
How to Compress Images Without Ruining Them
Compression removes information the eye is least likely to miss. Do it in the right order and a 4 MB photo becomes 400 KB with no visible difference.
Resize first, compress second
A 6000-pixel-wide photo displayed in a 1080-pixel slot is carrying five times the pixels it needs. Resizing to the real display size saves more than any quality slider will.
Only after the dimensions are right does the quality setting start to matter.
Choosing a quality level
- 80–85%: the safe default for photographs.
- 70–75%: fine for backgrounds and thumbnails.
- Below 60%: visible blocking in skies and gradients.
- Never re-compress an already-compressed export twice — losses stack.
Format matters as much as quality
- Photographs: JPEG or WebP.
- Graphics with flat colour or text: PNG or WebP.
- Transparency: PNG or WebP, never JPEG.
- WebP typically beats JPEG by 25–35% at matched quality.
Checking the result
Compare before and after at 100% zoom, and look specifically at skin tones, skies and any text — those show artefacts first.