Compress JPEG Online, Free and Private
Compress JPEG and JPG photos in your browser. Choose a quality level or a target size in KB. Files stay on your device, no upload and no signup.
Animated files are rejected unless this is on. Only the first frame is compressed.
Your files never leave your device
Everything happens in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Drag files here, paste, or choose files
Up to 20 files, 50 MB each. PNG, JPEG, WebP and AVIF files.
Compression happens in your browser. Nothing is uploaded. Compressed files are created on your device and are only kept until you close or reload this tab. Your files are only in this tab. Metadata such as location and camera info is removed, except when a file cannot be made smaller and is returned unchanged.
About compressing JPEG images
This page compresses JPEG photos in your browser. JPEG and JPG are the same format, and the usual reason to shrink one is a limit somewhere else: an email attachment, a job application form, a website that rejects anything over a few hundred KB. Choose how hard to compress, or type the size you need, drop in one photo or twenty, and download the smaller copies. Nothing is uploaded, and your photos never leave your device.
How to compress a JPEG
Steps
- Pick a Compression level. Balanced suits most photos. Choose Strong for the smallest file, or Custom to set a quality from 1 to 100.
- If a form names a limit such as 200 KB, switch on Set a target file size and type it in.
- Drag your JPEG files onto the drop area, paste them, or choose files. Each photo is compressed as soon as it is added and shows its old and new size.
- Download each photo, or Download all as ZIP for a batch. Changed a setting? Press Recompress with these settings.
This page is set up for JPEG, but the tool also accepts PNG, WebP and AVIF, and keeps each file in its own format.
What JPEG quality means
Quality is a dial between detail and file size. A high number keeps fine texture and gives a larger file. A low number rounds off more detail, so the file shrinks and flat areas such as sky can start to look blocky. These are the numbers each level uses.
| Level | JPEG quality |
|---|---|
| Light | 85 |
| Balanced | 75 |
| Strong | 60 |
| Custom | 1 to 100 |
Around 60 the loss becomes visible up close, which is fine for a thumbnail or a form upload and less so for printing.
JPEG or JPG?
There is no difference. Early versions of Windows required three-letter extensions, so .jpg became common, while the format's name is JPEG. Both endings open in the same programs.
Why is a phone photo so large?
A modern phone camera records a picture of twelve megapixels or more, saved at high quality so you can crop and print it later. That commonly produces a file of several megabytes, far more than a screen can show. Compressing trades some of that spare detail for a much smaller file. If the photo is still too heavy, reduce its pixel size with the Image Resizer and compress it again.
Compressing to a size limit
Application forms and ID uploads often ask for a JPEG under a set number of KB. Turn on the target size option and the tool searches for the highest quality that still fits. Here a KB is 1,024 bytes. If the limit cannot be reached without ruining the picture, you receive the smallest version it could make, with a note explaining that.
What is removed
Compressing writes a fresh JPEG, and metadata such as GPS location, capture time and camera model is not carried over. That is useful before sharing a photo publicly. The exception is a photo that cannot be made smaller: it is returned unchanged, including any metadata it contains.
Limits
- 50 MB per file and 32 megapixels per image, because the browser has to hold the whole picture in memory.
- Up to 20 files and 200 MB per batch.
Related tools
The full Image Compressor explains every level, including PNG, WebP and AVIF. To lower the pixel size first, use the Image Resizer. Got a WebP that a site will not accept? Change it with WebP to JPG.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between JPG and JPEG?
None. They are the same format. JPEG is the name of the format, and JPG is the shortened extension that older systems needed. A file ending in either one opens in the same programs and is compressed the same way here.
How do I get a JPEG under 100 KB?
Switch on Set a target file size, enter 100 and choose KB, then press Recompress with these settings. The tool looks for the highest JPEG quality that fits under 100 KB. If the photo is very large, reduce its pixel size with the Image Resizer first, because that makes a 100 KB result look much better.
Does compressing a JPEG again keep reducing its quality?
Yes. JPEG is lossy, so every time a photo is re-encoded some more detail is rounded off. Go back to your original each time you want a different size rather than compressing a compressed copy. If a second pass cannot make the file smaller, you get the file back unchanged.
Will the compressed JPEG keep its EXIF data and location?
No. Compressing writes a new file, and metadata such as GPS location, capture time and camera model is removed. The exception is a photo that could not be made smaller: it is returned unchanged, so it still carries whatever metadata it had.
Can I compress a 20 MB JPEG?
Yes. Files up to 50 MB and 32 megapixels are accepted, and a batch can hold 20 files and 200 MB. A 20 MB JPEG is usually a high-resolution photo, so a Balanced pass at quality 75 often brings it down a long way. Very large phone photos above 32 megapixels are refused with their size shown.