Compress an image to 500 KB

Add your photo below and press “Compress” — the file is automatically reduced to at most 500 KB (500,000 bytes). The tool searches for the highest JPEG or WebP quality that fits and lowers the resolution only if quality alone is not enough. Everything runs in your browser.

    Open the full tool: Image compressor →

    What fits into 500 KB

    MeasureValue
    Target in bytes500,000 bytes
    Same in KiB (1,024 bytes)488.28 KiB
    Detailed photo, ~2 bits/pixel (rough guide)≈ 1,633 × 1,225 px
    Simple image, ~1 bit/pixel (rough guide)≈ 2,309 × 1,732 px

    Pixel sizes are rough guides for a 4:3 image; the real result depends on how much detail and noise the picture has.

    When you need 500 KB

    Usually enough for a full-width photo on a website or for uploading scans to forms limited to 0.5 MB. The limit is usually checked against the file size in bytes, not against the picture dimensions — so a smaller file with the same look is all that matters.

    How the tool hits the target

    First it tries quality settings with a binary search to find the highest quality that is still ≤ 500 KB. If the minimum acceptable quality is still too heavy, it scales the image down and searches again; if there is spare room, it scales back up. Transparent PNGs are placed on a white background because JPEG has no transparency. If a file is already under the limit, it is offered unchanged.

    Tips for better quality

    Crop away empty background before compressing; choose WebP when the site accepts it — it is usually noticeably smaller than JPEG at similar quality; and avoid compressing an already compressed file many times in a row.

    FAQ

    How do I compress a photo to 500 KB?

    Open this page, add the image, keep the target at 500 KB and press “Compress”. Download the result — its size is shown next to it and is always 500 KB or less.

    Why did the resolution get smaller?

    If even a medium JPEG quality does not fit into 500 KB, the tool reduces the pixel dimensions step by step — a smaller sharp image looks better than a full-size blocky one. Cropping the photo first leaves more detail for what matters.

    Are my photos uploaded anywhere?

    No. Decoding, compression and the download happen locally in your browser; the files never leave your device.

    Does 1 KB mean 1,000 or 1,024 bytes here?

    The tool targets 500,000 bytes (1 KB = 1,000 bytes), which is slightly below 512,000 bytes, so the file passes both ways of counting.

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