Max file size: 15 MB.
What is Image File Size?
Digital images are made up of tiny dots called pixels, and each pixel holds color information. These colors are typically stored using three main components—red, green, and blue. To save the color of a single pixel, most image formats use 3 bytes (or 24 bits). When an image contains millions of pixels, storing all that information requires a large amount of data.
For example, when a smartphone or camera claims to capture 10-megapixel photos, it means each image contains 10 million pixels (since “mega” means million). Storing 10 million pixels generally requires about 30 million bytes, or 30 megabytes, of space. Sending such a photo by email would involve transferring 30MB of data, which can take significant time to upload and download.
How Can You Reduce Image File Size?
There are two main ways to make image files smaller:
Compressing the Image:
Compression reduces the file size without changing the image dimensions. However, increasing compression may lower the image quality as it removes some data to save space.Resizing the Image:
Another effective method is to decrease the dimensions (width and height) of the image, which reduces the total number of pixels. This doesn’t impact visual quality much, especially if you’re viewing it on screens with lower resolution. You may lose fine details, but for general viewing, the image will still look clear.
Most modern phones and cameras capture photos with more than 6 million pixels. Yet, common screens (like those on phones, tablets, laptops, or TVs) typically only display about 1.5 million pixels. So, the full resolution isn’t even visible unless you print the photo. By resizing an image to match screen resolutions—say, cutting its dimensions in half—you can significantly reduce its size without sacrificing how it appears on most screens.
Recommended Settings for Sharing
If you have a large photo and want to make it easier to share, consider resizing it to about 1900 x 1100 pixels, saving it in JPG format with 90% quality. This results in a high-quality, compact image that’s ideal for emailing, uploading, or sharing online without long load times.