Compress an Image Below 1 MB
Many upload forms, chat apps and email systems cap images at 1 MB. Drop in your photos; the tool keeps as much quality as possible and reports the exact byte count of each export.
What fits under this limit?
Typical photo dimensions that met each limit in our tests. The highlighted row is this page's preset.
| Size limit | JPG q75 · typical | JPG q75 · safe start | JPG q85 · typical | WebP q75 · typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 KB | 450 × 300 | 410 × 270 | 380 × 250 | 540 × 360 |
| 50 KB | 710 × 470 | 650 × 430 | 610 × 400 | 860 × 570 |
| 100 KB | 1010 × 670 | 920 × 610 | 860 × 570 | 1220 × 810 |
| 200 KB | 1430 × 950 | 1310 × 870 | 1220 × 810 | 1730 × 1150 |
| 500 KB | 2260 × 1500 | 2070 × 1380 | 1930 × 1290 | 2730 × 1820 |
| 1 MB | 3200 × 2130 | 2930 × 1950 | 2730 × 1820 | 3870 × 2580 |
Measured by Metro Research on 11 November 2026 using four public-domain test photographs, a 3:2 frame and standard JPEG/WebP encoders. Browsers encode slightly differently, and large camera photos usually compress better per pixel than these small test images, so treat the “safe” column as a conservative starting point. See the full method and data ↗
One megabyte is usually generous.
Most photos meet 1 MB with a small quality reduction and no visible difference.
Before uploading
- Check whether the destination counts 1 MB as 1,000,000 or 1,048,576 bytes.
- Keep original dimensions if prints or zooming matter.
- Compare the downloaded file with the original at 100% zoom.
Is 1 MB 1,000 KB or 1,024 KB?+
It depends on the system. This preset uses the stricter 1,000,000 bytes by default. Switch ‘How the destination counts KB’ to binary if the destination states 1 MB = 1,048,576 bytes.
Will a 1 MB file look worse than my original?+
Rarely on screen. In our tests a typical photo fitted at about 3200 × 2130 pixels as a quality-75 JPG under 1 MB, which is more than most screens display.
Can I keep the original pixel dimensions?+
Choose ‘Keep original dimensions’. The tool then only lowers quality. If the file is still over 1 MB, it is marked Over limit and you can decide whether to allow resizing.
My file is a PNG screenshot. What should I choose?+
Screenshots with flat colors can stay PNG and still be small. Photos saved as PNG are very large; export them as JPG for a 1 MB limit.