How to Compress JPEG Images using Watermarkly
You can reduce JPEG size online in our JPEG compress tool. Follow these simple steps:
- Go back to the app’s window at the top of the page.
- Drag the desired images from your computer into the window or click "Select images" to choose one of the following options: from your computer, from Google Drive, from Google Photo, or Dropbox. If you want to upload from either of the cloud storages, you will need to give our JPEG compressor permission to access your files.
- Click "Add Images" if you need to upload more photos. Click "Clear" if you want to remove all the imported images from the app. Once you uploaded all the JPEGs for compression, proceed to the settings.
- In the Settings section at the bottom of the JPEG compress tool choose the quality for your compressed copies:
- • Better Quality. Our JPEG size reducer will do its best to ensure that the image quality is high.
- • Smaller Size. If quality is not as important as the size of your files, then this is the option for you. Our app will reduce JPEG size as much as possible.
- • Specific File Size. This option allows you to enter the exact number of Kb or Mb that you want your compressed images to be.
Please note that if you choose the Better Quality or Smaller Size options you will see the size of your compressed images only after the JPEG compression is finished. Whereas with the Specific File Size option you will have more control over the final result.
- Click on “Compress JPEG” to start the compressing process. Then download your compressed copies to your computer, Google Photos or Dropbox.
A size of a file is the number of bytes it occupies in a device’s memory. Images that have the size of 7 or more megabytes (MBs) tend to be too big for websites. If you upload even a handful of them, it will take quite a while for them to fully load. Most visitors of your website won’t like that and will quickly leave.
Reduce the size of your JPEG files to around 200 KBs before uploading them onto your website. This is the perfect size, since the speed of your website won’t slow down even if you upload a large number of JPEG photos.
Note! Watermarkly has a lot to offer – not just a JPEG compressor. On our website you can also:
- watermark photos and watermark PDFs for free;
- crop images into a rectangle or square, as well as circle crop;
- resize photos;
- add text to single image or logo;
- convert to JPEG: PDF, HEIC, PNG, BMP, GIF and WebP;
- blur faces, license plates and other elements.
What is JPEG Format
JPEG (JPG) is a common image format for containing compressed data. It was created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group, who wanted to achieve an optimal compression. They, of course, managed to achieve that. Today, JPEG is one of the top three most popular image formats.
Features of JPEG?
- It uses lossy JPEG compression.
- It does not support transparency.
- It allows you to manipulate the image quality. When you perform a JPEG compression, you essentially merge some pixels together and remove some fine details. Therefore, when you reduce JPEG file size, the noise is also added.
- It supports CMYK, 24-bit RGB, and 8-bit Grayscale color spaces.
- It has integrated EXIF support, which allows you to store metadata. For example, it may be the camera model and manufacturer that were used for shooting.
- Depending on the settings, you can reduce JPEG size to 2:1 or 100:1 ratio.
File extensions .jpg and .jpeg work absolutely the same.
Possibilities of JPEG Format
This format is more suitable to reduce JPEG size with smooth transitions of color and brightness. JPEG is also widely used for storing and sharing digital photos and scans. It tends to create files of smaller size than other formats. JPEGs can be opened with any image viewing program or editing software, and they are easily uploaded to any website or social media. In other words, this format is supported and used nearly everywhere.
Where JPEG is not used
However, despite its broad popularity, there are still cases when other formats are more preferable. JPEG is not suitable for files, where there are sharp edges, flat color, and a distinct contrast between pixels. For example, graphics, drawings, or text. Usually, for these kinds of files, lossless formats are required.
Also, JPEG might not be the best format for images that you plan to edit in multiple stages. For example, you import a JPEG photo into Photoshop, do some editing, then export it. Later, you import that image again, do more editing and export it. Then, you repeat this a few times.
There’s something you need to keep in mind. When you export a JPEG image from an editing software, automatic compression will occur – even if you just opened it in the editor and made no changes. This will affect color transition, shades, and pixels themselves. A JPEG image loses some details every time it’s exported.
JPEG is never used when the highest image quality is required, and no losses of the finest details are allowed. For example, medical imaging always comes in other, special file formats.
Advantages and Disadvantages of JPEG Files
Let’s take a closer look at pros and cons of JPEG image format, so you could reduce the size of your JPEG files with better understanding of its features and practical use.
Pros
- It is possible to select the desired file size and quality with JPEG compression.
- The quality of images remains as high as possible even with a large degree of JPEG compression.
- JPEG images tend to have a manageable size which makes it easier to store and work with them.
- The format is supported by all browsers, text and image editors.
- Files are displayed correctly on mobile phones, tablets and computers.
- Digital photos in JPEG look great, even if they have a lot of fine details and contrasting color transitions.
Cons
- Strong JPEG compression can lead to an image breaking up into blocks of 8x8 pixels. This happens because the algorithm of compression analyzes neighboring pixels and merges the ones that are similar in color. The stronger the compression, the more pixels get smashed together.
- Color transitions may disappear.
- JPEG is not suitable for working with monochrome graphics and texts.
- The format does not support transparency, so it is not suitable for logos.
- JPEG files slightly degrade in quality every time you open them in an editing software, make some adjustments and export them.
When And Why You Should Reduce JPEG File Size
When might you need to reduce JPEG file size? It’s quite a popular question, though the answer is pretty simple. First of all, and most often, you will probably need to compress JPEG images before uploading them onto your website. Why?
Reduced JPEG images look just as good as the originals but have a much smaller size. The smaller your images, the less space they will take up on your server and the faster they will load when a person visits your website.
Nowadays, people prefer visual content to text – they perceive it better. And it’s nearly impossible to imagine a website without images, because you absolutely need visual content if you want your business to succeed. What people don’t like is waiting. If images on your website will take forever to load, people will go elsewhere.
Having visual content of great quality is not enough to make your website successful. Your JPEG images need to load quickly as well.
Another downside of uploading high-resolution images of big size is that your browser will try to compress them automatically; except it won’t do a great job at it. Most likely, your beautiful photos will end up looking blurry and pixelated. This will surely drive away some of your potential customers.
If you want your images to look sharp, clean, and professional, you’ll need to reduce them by using an online JPEG compressor that was designed specifically for it. Only then, you will get great results.
You might also need to reduce the size of your JPEG files to send them over an email or post them on social media. To avoid wasting any time, it may be better for you to determine which JPEG images you want to compress and batch-process them ahead of time.
Useful Tips on JPEG Compression for Websites
If you chose Watermarkly’s JPEG compress tool, remember the following:
- For background images and banners, the maximum file size should not exceed 1 MB.
- For product galleries, portfolios, and other pages, it is better to compress JPEG to a size of 500-600 KB.
- For simple graphics, a size of 300 KB will be enough.
We’ve told you about JPEG compression and how our web application works. We hope that now you’ll be able to reduce the size of JPEG files quickly, efficiently, and effortlessly. Don’t waste time downloading and installing complicated editing software. With Watermarkly's JPEG size reducer, you can get amazing results in a matter of minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Below you will find answers to popular questions about how to reduce JPEG file size.
Does JPEG compression affect image quality?
Yes, it does, because this format is lossy, which means that some data is lost even after a little bit of simple editing. However, most JPEG images can be compressed without significant loss of quality.
How to reduce the size of a JPEG file?
If you need to make an image smaller, use Watermarkly’s JPEG compressor. It is convenient and doesn’t have to be downloaded to a computer or a phone. You will need to upload your images into the JPEG compress tool and select one of the three options: Better Quality, Smaller Size, Specific File Size. With the latter one, you will be able to enter the exact number of kilobytes that you want to compress your JPEG images to.
How to compress JPEG for free?
You can reduce JPEG size online for free on our website using the online tool "JPEG Compress". In the free version of the app, you can upload multiple photos at once. No ads. No logo. The compression starts immediately.
How to compress JPEG to 200 KB?
If you want to reduce your files to a certain size, select the “Specific File Size” option in the export settings. Then, enter the number of kilobytes that you want your images to be after the compression is done.
How to reduce JPEG file size on MAC?
You can install image editing software to reduce JPEG file size on a Mac or any other computer. However, this process can be a lot simpler if you choose to use our online JPEG compressor instead. With Watermarkly, you will be able to compress your JPEG images effortlessly and within just a few minutes. What’s more is that the results will be just as great as if you used professional image editing software. Watermarkly app will produce compressed images of excellent quality, even if you pick maximum compression.
How to compress JPEG photos without losing quality?
This can be achieved with our online JPEG size reducer, Watermarkly, which we’ve told you all about in this article. If you want your JPEG images to look just as great as the originals, select the “Better Quality” option. Our app will preserve the quality as much as possible.
How can I reduce the size of a JPEG file on my phone?
If you want to reduce the size of a JPEG file using your smartphone, you don't have to search for apps in the Play Market or App Store and install them. If you don’t have a lot of space on your phone, you won’t have to clean it up. Because with our web-based JPEG compressor, Watermarkly, you just open our website in your mobile browser and get to work. Our website has a mobile version that looks just like the desktop one and offers the same set of tools and features. You can import files from your device or cloud storages, compress JPEG photos, add watermarks, crop images, and more.
How can I reduce the size of a JPEG photo to upload to a website?
You can use Watermarkly’s online JPEG size reducer. The entire process will take you mere minutes. You simply upload your photo, select the desired quality, wait until the JPEG compression process is over and download your compressed copies.