Compress a JPG to 20 KB without guesswork
Online application forms are strict about file size. Exam registrations, government portals, visa applications, college admissions, and job sites often reject a photo over 20 KB, even though a phone camera saves every picture at 2 to 5 MB. This tool gets any image under the limit while keeping it as sharp as the size allows, and shows you exactly how close it came.
Everything happens inside your browser. Your photos, ID pictures, and signatures never leave your device.
How to use it
- Choose one or more images, or drop them on the box. JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, and AVIF all work, and the result is always a JPG.
- Keep the 20 KB target, pick another preset, or type any size.
- If the form asks for exact pixel dimensions, such as 200 × 230 for a photo or 140 × 60 for a signature, enter them.
- Check the preview. Press and hold Hold to compare to see the original.
- Download each image, or all of them at once as a ZIP.
How it hits the target
A JPG's file size depends on two things: how many pixels it has and how much detail the encoder keeps. The tool adjusts both. It first estimates the largest dimensions that can fit under your limit at a clear quality level, then searches for the highest quality setting that still fits. The result usually lands within a few percent of the limit, because any unused space is room it could have spent on detail.
The What matters most setting controls the tradeoff:
| Setting | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Balanced | Keeps quality at a clean level and shrinks the dimensions just enough to fit. | Most photos and uploads |
| Sharpness | Holds a high quality level and reduces the pixel size more. | Faces and ID photos shown small on screen |
| Dimensions | Keeps as much of the original width and height as possible and lowers quality as far as needed. At very small targets, large photos still have to shrink. | Forms that check pixel size, when blockiness is acceptable |
When you enter an exact width and height, the dimensions are locked and only the quality changes. At very small targets a large fixed size may not fit at all. The tool tells you when that happens, so you can try a smaller size.
Tips for passport, ID, and signature uploads
- Crop tightly first. A head-and-shoulders crop with no extra background leaves more of the 20 KB for the face.
- Plain backgrounds compress best. A white or light wall uses far fewer bytes than a busy room behind you.
- Use black and white for signatures. Removing color saves space and keeps the ink lines crisp. Sign with a dark pen on white paper, in good light.
- Match the form's pixel size exactly. Some portals reject images that are the right file size but the wrong dimensions. Use the exact size boxes with "Crop to fill."
- Keep the 1,000-byte setting unless you're sure the form counts in 1,024-byte units. A file under 20,000 bytes passes either way.
KB vs. KiB: why the setting exists
"20 KB" can mean 20,000 bytes or 20,480 bytes, depending on who's counting. Windows File Explorer divides by 1,024. macOS, most websites, and the SI standard divide by 1,000. The default setting targets 20,000 bytes, so the file passes a form that checks either way. Switch to 1,024 if you need the extra 480 bytes and know the form measures that way.
Frequently asked questions
Are my images uploaded to a server?
No. Decoding, resizing, and compression all run in your browser. You can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and the tool still works.
Why does the compressed image have smaller dimensions?
A 4000 × 3000 photo can't be squeezed into 20 KB and still look like anything, so the tool reduces the pixel count to keep the result clear. Choose "Dimensions" to keep the original size at lower quality, or enter exact pixel sizes the form requires.
My image is already under 20 KB. What happens?
If it's already a JPG under the target and you haven't asked for resizing or black and white, it's kept exactly as is. Recompressing would only lose quality.
Does it remove EXIF data and location tags?
Yes. Compressed images are rebuilt from pixels, so camera details, GPS location, and other metadata are not carried over. Photos taken sideways are rotated upright first.
The form says my file must be between 10 KB and 20 KB. Will this work?
Usually. Because the tool fills the space up to the limit, results land close to the target. If an image comes out under the minimum, it's because the picture has very little detail. Enter larger exact dimensions to give it more pixels.
Can I compress a PNG to 20 KB?
Yes, but the result is a JPG, which is the format most forms want and far smaller than PNG for photos. Transparent areas are filled with the background color you choose, white by default.
Why won't my HEIC photo open?
Only Safari can decode HEIC images. On other browsers, convert the photo to JPG first, or change your iPhone's camera setting to "Most Compatible" so it saves JPGs.