---
title: "How to compress an image without losing quality | ToolSugar"
description: "Shrink a JPG, PNG or WebP file with three strength levels, see the percent saved, and find out why some images do not get smaller."
canonical: https://toolsugar.com/blog/how-to-compress-an-image
image: https://toolsugar.com/og.png
---

# Compress a JPG, PNG or WebP to a smaller file

Updated 2026-11-09

To compress an image, re-encode it with a lower quality setting so it takes fewer bytes. Compress Image on ToolSugar does this in your browser with three levels, Light, Balanced and Strong, and shows the percent saved for each file. The pixel size stays the same and nothing is uploaded.

[Open Compress Image](https://toolsugar.com/tools/image-compressor)

## Compress an image in four steps

You can add several images and compress them in one run.

1. Add one or more images.
2. Choose Light, Balanced or Strong.
3. Keep the same format, or save as WebP, JPG or PNG.
4. Press Compress and compare the sizes before you download.

## What the three levels trade

Light keeps the most detail and saves the least. Strong saves the most and throws away the most. Balanced sits between them and is the one to try first.

Compare the result with the original at full size, not as a thumbnail. Stop at the strongest level where you still cannot see a difference.

## Why a PNG behaves differently

PNG is lossless, so there is no quality dial to turn down. At Light the tool only rewrites the file. At Balanced and Strong it first reduces the number of color levels, and that lets PNG compress much further.

The catch is banding. Smooth gradients such as a sky or a soft shadow can show visible steps. Screenshots and flat graphics shrink well, and photos are better saved as WebP or JPG.

## When the file does not get smaller

An image that was already compressed hard has little left to remove, and re-encoding it can add bytes. The tool tells you when that happens, so you can keep the original instead of a larger copy.

Try Strong, or change the output to WebP. If neither helps, the file is already near its floor at this pixel size.

## Metadata and location data

Re-encoding leaves out EXIF details, including GPS location. A compressed copy is therefore a quick way to strip the place a photo was taken before you post it.

## Questions

### Does compressing change the width and height?

No. The dimensions stay exactly as they were. Only the amount of detail stored per pixel changes.

### How do I get under an email attachment limit?

Compress first and read the size shown. If it is still too big, the Resize Image tool can aim for a limit in KB, or you can lower the pixel dimensions.

### Can I compress an image twice?

You can, but each pass of a lossy format removes a bit more detail. One pass from the original gives a better result than two passes in a row.

[Open Compress Image](https://toolsugar.com/tools/image-compressor)

## Related guides

- [How to resize an image by pixels, percent or KB](https://toolsugar.com/blog/how-to-resize-an-image)
- [How to convert image formats: JPG, PNG, WebP](https://toolsugar.com/blog/how-to-convert-image-formats)
- [How to convert HEIC to JPG on any computer](https://toolsugar.com/blog/how-to-convert-heic-to-jpg)
- [How to upscale an image with AI](https://toolsugar.com/blog/how-to-upscale-an-image)

## Comparisons

- [TinyPNG alternative](https://toolsugar.com/alternatives/tinypng-alternative)