How do I reduce a photo to under 50 KB?

Choose Under 50 KB and drop the photo in. The page tries quality after quality to find the best one that comes in under 50 KB; if even a low quality is too big, it makes the picture smaller, a step at a time, until it fits. The new size and pixel dimensions show under the picture before you save it.

Is a KB 1,000 or 1,024 bytes here?

1,000. A file under 50,000 bytes is under 50 KB however the form counts, so it is accepted either way.

The form wants exact pixels and dpi. Can it do that?

Yes: type the width and height in pixels and choose the dpi. The picture is cropped to that shape (or fitted inside it with white around it), then compressed to the KB limit. The dpi is written into the JPEG's header, which is what forms read; it does not change the pixels. If the limit is too small for that many pixels, the page says so rather than going below the size the form asks for.

Are my photos uploaded to compress them?

No. Each picture is decoded, resized and compressed by your browser, and never leaves your computer - worth knowing for an ID card, a passport scan or a signature.

Stays on your computer How this works

Compress an image to KB - 20 KB, 50 KB, 100 KB

Make a photo or scan fit an upload form's size limit - under the KB it asks for, at exact pixel dimensions and dpi if needed - with nothing uploaded

Under or KB At least KB

Exact size × pixelsResolution

Leave the exact size empty to keep each picture's shape; it is made smaller only if it cannot fit the KB limit otherwise. One side alone keeps the shape too.

Drag & drop pictures here, or browse

JPG, PNG, HEIC, WebP, GIF, BMP or AVIF · one or many · nothing is uploaded

About this image compressor

Application forms, job portals, exam and government sites often refuse a photo or a scanned signature unless it is under a set size - 20 KB, 50 KB, 100 KB - and sometimes exactly so many pixels across, at a set dpi. This page makes a picture fit: it finds the best JPEG quality that comes in under the limit, makes the picture smaller only when it has to, and writes the resolution into the file. It works on your computer, which matters for an ID scan or a signature. It is free to use, with no account and no upload limit, and it runs entirely in your browser: nothing is uploaded, and while the page stays open, a feature you have already used keeps working offline.

What you can do

Compress a picture to under 20 KB, 50 KB, 100 KB, 1 MB or any size you type, at the best quality that fits
Set a smallest size too, for forms that refuse files that are too small
Resize to exact pixel dimensions, cropped to fill, fitted with white around it, or stretched
Write the dpi a form checks for (72 to 300) into the file
Do many pictures at once and save them as a ZIP
JPG, PNG, iPhone HEIC, WebP, GIF, BMP and AVIF in; JPG out

How to compress an image to KB

Choose the size limit - and the exact pixel size and dpi, if the form gives them.
Drop the pictures onto the page. Each is made at once, with its new size shown.
Save them one by one, or all together as a ZIP.

Questions

How do I reduce a photo to under 50 KB?: Choose Under 50 KB and drop the photo in. The page tries quality after quality to find the best one that comes in under 50 KB; if even a low quality is too big, it makes the picture smaller, a step at a time, until it fits. The new size and pixel dimensions show under the picture before you save it.
Is a KB 1,000 or 1,024 bytes here?: 1,000. A file under 50,000 bytes is under 50 KB however the form counts, so it is accepted either way.
The form wants exact pixels and dpi. Can it do that?: Yes: type the width and height in pixels and choose the dpi. The picture is cropped to that shape (or fitted inside it with white around it), then compressed to the KB limit. The dpi is written into the JPEG's header, which is what forms read; it does not change the pixels. If the limit is too small for that many pixels, the page says so rather than going below the size the form asks for.
Are my photos uploaded to compress them?: No. Each picture is decoded, resized and compressed by your browser, and never leaves your computer - worth knowing for an ID card, a passport scan or a signature.

Built by John McMillan, a senior full-stack engineer. Open to remote roles: hire me.

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