Compress JPG
JPEG-specific compression with quality slider. Smallest possible file size.
This tool re-encodes JPEG files at a quality level you choose, trading a little fine detail for a much smaller file. Everything runs in your browser on a canvas — the photo is decoded, re-saved at your chosen quality, and downloaded without ever touching a server. That keeps personal photos private and works offline once the page has loaded.
The quality slider is the whole game with JPEG: high values keep sharp edges and subtle gradients, lower values squeeze the file but introduce blocky artifacts. A live preview lets you find the exact point where the size drops but your eye can't tell the difference.
Drop image here or click to browse
Output will always be JPG
🔒 100% Browser-Based
Your image is processed entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded. Verify in DevTools → Network tab — zero outbound traffic with file content.
About Compress JPG
JPEG-specific compression with a quality slider so you control the exact trade-off between file size and sharpness. Perfect for photographs headed to the web, email, or social media. Everything runs locally — your photo never leaves your device.
How to use the Compress JPG
- 1
Add your JPG
Drop a JPEG photo onto the tool or click to select one. It's processed locally in the browser, so the original never uploads anywhere.
- 2
Choose a quality level
Start around 80%. Slide higher for maximum sharpness or lower to chase a smaller file. The estimated output size updates as you move the slider.
- 3
Compare against the original
Use the before/after preview to check edges, skin tones, and flat areas like skies — these show JPEG artifacts first if you've gone too low.
- 4
Download your compressed JPG
When the balance looks right, save it. Re-run at a different quality anytime; each pass is instant and free.
Why 80% is the sweet spot
JPEG quality isn't linear. Going from 100% to about 85% throws away data your eye essentially can't perceive while cutting file size by half or more. The 75–85% band — with 80% as a reliable default — is where you get the biggest savings for the smallest visible cost. Below roughly 60%, compression artifacts become obvious: blocky 8×8 squares in smooth areas, halos around high-contrast edges, and muddy text. Above 90%, you pay a lot of extra bytes for quality almost nobody can see. For web and email, 80% is the practical default; reserve 90%+ for print or photos that will be heavily zoomed.
When JPEG is the wrong choice
JPEG is built for photographs — continuous-tone images with millions of subtle color shifts. It's a poor fit for anything with hard edges and flat color: logos, line art, screenshots of text, and UI mockups all develop fuzzy halos and color smearing as JPEG quality drops. Those belong in PNG, which stays pixel-perfect. JPEG also can't store transparency, so a logo saved as JPEG gets a solid (usually white or black) background where the transparent areas were. If your image has a transparent background or crisp text, switch to PNG or WebP instead of pushing the JPEG slider.
Quick tips
- ✓Save your master file as PNG or a high-quality original and only export JPEG copies — that way you always re-compress from clean source, not a degraded file.
- ✓Each time you open, edit, and re-save a JPEG it loses a little more quality (generation loss), even at 100%. Minimize the number of save cycles.
- ✓Flat areas like skies and solid backgrounds reveal artifacts before busy, textured areas do — check those regions when judging a quality setting.
- ✓If 80% still isn't small enough, downscale the dimensions before compressing rather than dropping quality into the artifact zone.
- ✓Need an exact file size instead of a quality percentage? Use the target-size compressor, which iterates quality automatically to hit your cap.
Frequently asked questions
What quality should I use for JPG?
80–85% is the sweet spot — visually identical to the original at roughly half the size. Drop to 70% for the smallest usable files.
Does re-compressing a JPG lose more quality?
Yes. Each JPEG save discards a little detail, so compress from the highest-quality original you have rather than an already-compressed copy.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. Compression happens entirely in your browser. You can confirm in DevTools — no image data leaves your device.
Can I recover quality by saving a JPEG back at 100%?
No. JPEG compression is lossy and permanent — once detail is discarded it's gone. Saving at 100% afterward just makes a larger file of the already-degraded image. Always go back to the highest-quality original you have.
What quality should I use for printing?
For print, stay at 90% or higher and keep full resolution. Print reveals artifacts that screens hide, and you generally want the file to look its best rather than be small. Save aggressive compression for web and email.
My JPEG has a white box where transparency should be — why?
JPEG doesn't support transparency. When a transparent image is saved as JPEG, those areas get filled with a solid color. Keep the file as PNG or WebP if you need the transparent background preserved.