Compress an image to 500 KB
A 500 KB limit, half a megabyte, is frequent on web forms, media libraries and mail that carries several photos.
The target is already set to 500 KB. The tool tries the highest quality first and lowers it step by step until the file fits. It shrinks the pixel size only when quality alone cannot get under the limit. It aims slightly below 500 KB, counting 1 KB as 1,000 bytes, so the file also passes on systems that count 1,024 bytes.
What fits in 500 KB
As a JPG or WebP, a typical photo of about 1,920 by 1,080 pixels at good quality fits in 500 KB. Screenshots, logos and scans of text behave differently: flat colors compress very well, and fine texture or noise compresses poorly. If the file cannot reach 500 KB at a reasonable size, the list tells you and shows the smallest result.
Tips for reaching 500 KB
- Full HD at 500 KB is a good target for a blog or product image on a normal screen.
- Switch the output to WebP to get a visibly sharper result at the same size, if the destination accepts it.
- Compress from your original file. Compressing a copy that was already compressed loses more detail.
Other sizes
20 KB, 50 KB, 75 KB, 100 KB, 150 KB, 200 KB, 250 KB, 300 KB, 400 KB, 750 KB, 1 MB, 2 MB, 3 MB, 5 MB.
You can also compress JPG, PNG or WebP by format, or read the image compression guide.