Compress images without visible loss

You can usually cut an image’s file size in half without anyone noticing. The trick is knowing where the quality slider stops being generous and starts being greedy.

How lossy compression works

Lossy formats throw away detail your eye is least likely to miss — subtle colour shifts and fine texture. Lower the quality and it discards more, until artefacts become visible.

The goal is to sit just above that threshold.

Where the sweet spot sits

For most photographs, 80–85% quality is invisible at normal viewing sizes while cutting file size dramatically. Screenshots and line art are less forgiving — keep them higher.

Always preview at full size before committing.

Practical workflow

Start at 82%, check the result, and only drop lower if the file still needs to be smaller. Keep your original so you can re-export if you go too far.