Ways to reduce the size of JPEG images and other image files are crucial for the success of your website. If you want visually appealing images without them being too large and slowing down your site's loading time, here's some good news: there are several simple methods to reduce your image file sizes while maintaining quality.
- Links to download pages at the end of the article; to access them, click on View Download Links
One of the main reasons for slow website loading is that the images included have not been resized for optimal performance.
In this article, we will explore ways to reduce the size of JPEG images and other image files, including changing the file type, resizing files, and compressing them using the Save for Web function.
If you're looking for something faster and easier, we will also show you some tools that can directly reduce image sizes.
1- Change the File Type
The "file size" of an image file refers to the number of pixels per inch. Generally, the more pixels per inch, the more information the file holds, and consequently, the larger its size.
The two most common file types for images are JPG and PNG.
First, PNG:
This file type is mainly used for graphic files like logos, icons, and illustrations.
When editing these files in an image editing application like Photoshop, they don't lose much data when processed or compressed, which is why they tend to be larger.
Second, JPEG:
This is the most common file type you'll find for most images online.
This file type can handle millions of colors and can be highly compressed while maintaining quality, as the compression process removes pixels from the image.
PNG files are usually larger, so for images with lots of colors and details, it might be better to stick with the JPEG version to ensure faster loading times. However, if you know your image needs to be resized without losing clarity, opt for the PNG version.
Note that there are many other file formats available, but I focused on JPEG and PNG because they are the most popular.
2- Manual Resizing
In Photoshop, you can use the image size function to manually resize your image.
The tool looks like this:
You can see the current image size and pixel dimensions at the top of this tool. Any adjustments you make here will change the size. Fit To is a dropdown menu with predefined pixel sizes and settings.
If you choose the first option in that list to adjust the dimensions and pixels per inch, you can see how the file size will change.
You can experiment with these settings to determine if the standard size from the dropdown menu works for you, and you can also manually change the width, height, or resolution options to get the size you need.
3- Save for Web
The web option removes metadata from the file before saving.
This function is designed for images that will be displayed online, making it a very quick way to resize while maintaining quality.
Look for the Save for Web option by going to File > Export > Save for Web:
When you open the Save for Web window, you'll notice another benefit of this function. If you select the 2-up tab at the top, you can see a comparison between the original image and the resized one.
From here, use the presets in the upper right corner to choose the JPG format and adjust the quality as you like.
After making changes, you can see if your new file meets your quality standards by previewing the image, and you can verify the file size change by looking at the data below each image.
Note that you can also resize using the width and height fields in the lower right corner.
4- Optimize Images in WordPress
If you want to reduce the image file size yourself, and if you're looking for something more automated to help resize your images, there are many tools for optimizing images in WordPress that can assist you.
Here’s a list of some popular tools with a brief description:
Imagify:
Optimize all your images in one go, easily resize them, and restore images to their original versions when needed, all at affordable prices.
ShortPixel:
No file size limit, and a single API key for multiple sites allows for extensive use of this tool.
Optimole:
For data-driven insights, Optimole offers a dashboard where you can review optimization statistics. Their free plan allows for 5,000 visitors per month and unlimited bandwidth.
5- Online Image Size Reduction Tools:
Online image editing tools help you compress images or change the file type without noticeable quality loss.
Compressjpg:
Compressjpg allows you to upload multiple files and resize them all at once, and it has a feature that converts iPhone HEIC format images to JPEG.
Tinypng:
TinyPNG uses smart compression techniques that contribute to losing some data to help reduce the file size of WEBP, JPEG, and PNG files.
It does a great job of selectively reducing the number of colors in the image, resulting in an almost invisible effect that makes a significant difference in file size!
You can use TinyPNG to shrink images for your applications and websites, as it uses less bandwidth and loads faster.
The files produced by TinyPNG display perfectly on all modern browsers, including mobile devices.
Canva Pro:
This is another popular site that not only resizes images but also allows you to design and animate images, as well as format them for web or social media use. Its design is simple and user-friendly.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed ways to reduce the size of JPEG images and other image files, highlighting the top 5 methods.
Each of these methods has its advantages, so depending on your workflow and the platforms you use, choose the method that suits you best and start sharing your images!
Don't underestimate the importance of optimizing your images; slow websites not only reduce visitor numbers but are also less favored by Google search engines.
Fast-loading images can give your site that little extra something that sets it apart from the rest, and an optimized site will keep visitors coming back.
Do you use any of these methods to resize your images? If not, which one do you think you'll try first? Let us know in the comments!
