Compress Image for Email Attachments
Compress an image for email so several photos fit under your attachment limit and send quickly. Pick a size from 100 KB to 2 MB and attach the smaller file.
Free No signup Images stay on your device
How to Compress Images for Email
- 1Pick the photo you want to attach.
- 2Choose a size between 100 KB and 2 MB.
- 3Keep JPG so it opens in any email app.
- 4Tap Compress Image and download the result.
- 5Attach the smaller file to your email.
Why Compress Images for Email?
Email services cap how much you can attach. Gmail allows 25 MB per email, and Outlook has a similar limit. Five or six full-size phone photos can blow past that, and then you're splitting one message into three or hunting for a file-sharing link.
Even when attachments fit, big ones are a pain. They take ages to send on a slow connection, they're slow to open for someone reading on their phone, and they fill up both inboxes. Photos at a few hundred KB each look just as good on screen and arrive in seconds.
For a batch of photos in one email, compressing to 200KB each is a sensible default. If you're attaching a lot of them, or the recipient's system has a small limit, 100KB per image still keeps faces and text clear.
Supported Image Formats & Technical Considerations
JPG is selected because every email app, old or new, shows it without fuss. WebP is smaller, but some older desktop email programs may not preview it, so JPG is the safer choice for attachments.
Attachment limits apply to the whole email, and attachments take up a bit more space in transit than their file sizes suggest, because of how email encodes them. Leaving some headroom below the limit saves you from a bounced message.
If the person needs to print the photos, keep them at 1 to 2 MB so there's enough detail for paper. For on-screen viewing, anything much above 500 KB is mostly wasted space. And since the photos are compressed on your own device and never uploaded to a server, the only copy that travels is the one you attach.
Tips for Compressing Images for Email
- Add up your files before you hit send. Ten photos at 500 KB each is about 5 MB, well inside Gmail's 25 MB limit.
- Sending scanned documents? Combine them into one PDF and run it through Compress PDF instead of attaching ten images.
- Keep JPG for attachments unless you know the recipient's app opens WebP.
- Rename files to something meaningful before attaching, like passport-scan.jpg instead of IMG_4821.jpg.
- For job applications, a profile photo around 200 KB looks sharp and keeps your email light.
Benefits
More photos per email
Fit several pictures in one message instead of splitting them across three.
Opens everywhere
JPG opens in any email app, old or new.
Stays on your device
Your photo is compressed on your own phone or laptop. It isn't uploaded to us at all.
Free, no signup
No account, no email, no watermark on your image. Open the page and use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size should images be for email?
About 500 KB per photo is a safe default. Go smaller (100 to 200 KB) if there are many, or larger (1 to 2 MB) if they'll be printed.
What's the attachment limit in Gmail and Outlook?
Gmail allows 25 MB of attachments per email, and Outlook has a similar limit. Compressing photos to a few hundred KB each lets you fit many more in one message.
Can I compress a photo for a job application email?
Yes. For a profile photo or a scanned document, 200 to 500 KB keeps it clear and your email light.
Can I compress an image for email without losing quality?
Honestly, not completely. When a file gets a lot smaller, something has to give. But the tool always picks the highest quality that still fits your target, so you lose as little as possible. At sensible targets most people can't spot the difference on a phone screen.
Is my image uploaded anywhere?
No. The compression happens inside your browser, on your own phone or computer. Your image is never uploaded to a server, so it isn't sent across borders or stored by anyone, including us.
Can I compress multiple images at once?
Not yet, it's one image at a time for now. Once you've downloaded a result, tap “Compress Another Image” and pick the next photo. Bulk compression is on our list.