How to compress an image to 500 KB
- Click the box above or drag your image onto it. JPG, PNG and WebP all work, and you can add several at once.
- The tool tests quality levels automatically and picks the highest one that keeps the file under 500 KB.
- If even low quality is too large, it scales the image down step by step until it fits.
- Check the final size and dimensions next to the file name, then click Download.
When you need an image under 500 KB
- Insurance claims and support tickets with attachment limits
- Photo contests and community galleries
- High-quality images for presentations and documents
Getting the best result at 500 KB
Most phone photos are 2–6 MB. At 500 KB you can keep 2000–2400 pixels on the long side at high quality, which still looks perfect on a 4K screen or an A5 print.
File size depends on detail, not just dimensions. A photo of a plain wall compresses to a fraction of the size of a photo of leaves or gravel at the same resolution. That is why the tool measures the real output rather than guessing from a formula — every image gets its own best setting.
How it works
JPG and WebP use lossy compression controlled by a quality setting from 0 to 100%. The tool runs a binary search: it encodes the image at 95%, then halves the range again and again until it finds the highest quality that fits your limit, which takes only a few tries. Reducing quality before dimensions keeps text and faces as sharp as possible. Everything happens with your browser's built-in image engine, so nothing is uploaded.
Other target sizes
Compress to 20 KB · Compress to 50 KB · Compress to 100 KB · Compress to 200 KB · Compress to 1 MB
Need a passport-size photo? Use the Passport Photo Maker to crop to the right dimensions first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reduce an image to 500 KB?
Drop your image into the box above. The tool tries progressively lower quality settings until the file fits under 500 KB, and only reduces the pixel dimensions if quality alone is not enough. Then click Download.
Will my photo still look good at 500 KB?
The tool always keeps the highest quality that fits. At this size most photos look identical to the original on screen.
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. All compression runs in your browser. Your image never leaves your device, which matters for ID photos and signatures.
Can I choose a different size?
Yes. Change the "Target size" box to any value in KB — the 500 KB preset is just a starting point.
Should I choose JPG or WebP?
Choose JPG for application forms and government portals, because some of them reject WebP. Choose WebP for websites: it looks sharper at the same file size.