Are you looking for a way to “lighten” the images you upload to your blog? Want to free up some disk space by compressing the photos you’ve uploaded to your computer? How do you say? Are you still not very practical in terms of computer science and are you afraid of not being able to complete a similar undertaking? If you answered yes to these questions, you can consider yourself lucky: You’ve come to the right place, at the right time!
In fact, with this guide of mine today, I intend to explain to you how to compress photos using ad hoc programs and some free online services. Furthermore, if you intend to act directly from your mobile devices. You will find the special apps present in the last part of the tutorial very useful. You will see, even if you are not familiar with the technology. Also You will have no problem reducing the weight of your photos, I promise!
Now, enough talk and let’s get straight to the point. Are you ready to get started? Yup? Perfect! Make yourself comfortable, identify the solutions that may be right for you, and then proceed to compress the photos by scrupulously following my “tips”. All that remains for me is to wish you a good read and, above all, a good job!
How to compress photos on PC and Mac
Do you need to compress photos on PC and Mac? Therefore, would you like me to show you the best solutions to do it and how to use them? I’ll settle you right away. You can find it all listed below.
Paint (Windows)
If you are using a Windows PC and you want to compress photos. You can do it using Paint, the “basic” program to create and edit images included in all versions of the Redmond operating system. In this case, however, keep in mind that in order to succeed in your intent you will have to resize the image, which also allows you to reduce its weight.
To use Paint, start the program by right-clicking the photo to edit, select the Open with an item from the contextual menu shown, and Paint (if you are using Windows 10 or later. Also press the OK button in the window shown below, to confirm your choice).
Now that you view the photo in the Paint screen on the desktop, click on the Resize button (the image expansion icon ) at the top. Decide whether to resize the image in percentages or pixels. Define the relative parameters and press the button OK.
When the changes are complete, save the edited image by clicking on the File menu at the top left and then on the Save item to overwrite the existing photo or on Save as and on the output format you prefer to create a copy.
Preview (macOS)
On Mac, to try to reduce the weight of the photos you can turn to Preview. The program included “as standard” on Apple-branded computers that allows you to view images and PDF files and make countless changes quickly and easily.
To compress a photo with Preview, you must first open the file you want to act on, simply by double-clicking on it. If you have changed some macOS settings and Preview is not the default reader, right-click the mouse on the photo. Click on the items Open from the menu that opens, and select the word Preview.
Now that you are viewing the photo, click on the File menu at the top left, then on the Export item present in it. And select the format in which you want to export the photo to reduce its weight using the drop-down menu located under the Format item.
Subsequently, move the cursor on the adjustment bar located in correspondence with the Quality item (it is only available for some formats) to reduce the weight of the photo: by moving the cursor toward the wording Minimum. You will reduce the weight of the photo as much as possible.
You will then be able to view the calculation relating to the weight of the image in correspondence with the heading File size. When you are satisfied with the result obtained, indicate the position in which you intend to export the photo by clicking on the drop-down menu located in correspondence with the item Located and, finally, click on the Save button.
If you want to compress multiple images simultaneously using Preview, click on the View menu located at the top and select the item Thumbnails from it. Subsequently, drag all the images to be compressed into the bar that appears on the side. Select them using the mouse or the key combination cmd+a. And select the Export selected images item from the File menu.
In the window that opens, click on the Options button. Set the output image parameters as I explained to you before, select the location to export the files to, and press the Choose button to complete the procedure.
XnConvert (Windows/macOS/Linux)
Another great tool you can use to compress photos, both on Windows and macOS, is XnConvert. It is a free and third-party solution that allows you to perform various basic image editing operations, even by acting in batches. Obviously, there is also the possibility of carrying out the operation covered by this tutorial.
To download XnConvert on your computer, visit its website, scroll down the displayed page and click on the Zip Win 64bit button (if you are using 64-bit Windows ), on the Zip Win 32bit one (if you are using 32-bit Windows ) or the Mac DMG 64bit one . (if you’re using macOS).
At the end of the download, if you are using Windows, extract the ZIP archive obtained in a folder of your choice and start the .exe file contained inside.
If you are using macOS, however, open the .dmg package obtained and drag the XnConvert icon into the macOS Applications folder , then right-click on it and select the Open item from the context menu, in order to start the application to get around Apple’s restrictions on non-certified developers (an operation that must be performed only on the first launch).
Now that, regardless of the operating system. You see the XnConvert window on the screen, drag the photos you want to edit onto it. Alternatively, click on the Add file button or on the Add folder button to “manually” select the photos or folders that contain them on which you want to act.
Next, select the Destination tab, decide whether to save the output files in the same format as the originals or set a different one from the Format menu and click the Settings button below.
In the new screen that appears, act on the Quality adjustment bar to define the compression level. For some formats, there are also special options that allow you to compress photos without losing quality. To save the changes, click on the OK button.
Finally, press the Convert button at the bottom right. By default, the program creates a copy of the edited images in the same location as the original files. However, if you prefer to define a different output location, click on the Destination tab at the top of the XnConvert window, press the button (…) located in the Destination section, and indicate the path.
How to compress photos on android
If you want to compress photos on Android, I highly recommend using Photo Compressor 2.0. It is a free and very simple-to-use app, which allows you to compress images. But also to resize and cut them, intervening on a maximum of 10 elements at a time. To get around this limitation you have to switch to the paid version (at a cost of 0.99 euros).
To download and install Photo Compress 2.0 on your device. Access the relevant section of the Play Store and press the Install button (or go to alternative stores ). Next, launch the app by selecting the icon that has been added to your Android home screen and/or drawer.
Now that you are viewing the Photo Compress 2.0 main screen, touch the word Gallery, and grant the app the required permissions. And select the photos in the gallery of the device you want to work on.
At this point, to proceed with the compression, touch the Compress button. Move the Quality adjustment bar according to the final result you want to obtain and press the Compress button.
When you’re done, tap the Exit button to proceed with saving the edited photos in the Gallery. All images compressed using the app are stored in an album called PhotoCompress.
How to compress photos on iPhone
If, on the other hand, you are wondering how to compress photos on the iPhone. As well as on the iPad, the solution that in my opinion. You should rely on to do it is Photo Compress. It’s an app for iOS/iPadOS that allows you to compress images by adjusting quality and size. It’s free but offers in-app purchases (at a cost of 3.99 euros) to eliminate advertising and unlock extra features.
To download and install Foto Compress on your device, access the relevant section of the App Store, and press the Get button. Then the Install button, and authorize the download using Face ID, Touch ID, or Apple ID password. Afterward, launch the app by selecting its icon that was just added to the iOS/iPad home screen and/or App Library.
Now that you are viewing the main screen of Foto Compress, specify whether you wish to receive personalized advertising or not (I advise you not) and decline any invitations to install other apps. Then press the (+) button located at the top, grant the app any permissions it may require, and select the photo you want to act on.
Now, indicate how much you want to compress the image by adjusting its quality by moving the cursor on the Image quality bar. You can also specify how much to reduce the size of the photo by moving the slider on the Reduce image size by adjustment bar.
At the top of the screen, you will be shown the original size, the final size. And the remaining free space on the iPhone and iPad later. If you then want to compare the final photos with the originals in advance. I inform you that you can do it by touching the Preview button located at the bottom.
Finally, press the Continue button, indicate the album on the iPhone or iPad where you want to save the output images, wait for the compression procedure to take place, and tap the Finish button.
How to compress photos for email
Do you need to compress photos for email, but don’t know how to do it? In that case, I have excellent news for you: just use the image compression tools for PC and Mac, online, for Android. And for iPhone (and iPad) that I have already pointed out to you beforehand and, subsequently. Add the compressed photos as email attachments and proceed with sending them. As I explained in my tutorial on how to send attachments via email.
How to compress photos to PDF
Do you have a document in PDF format that is quite heavy due to the photos in it and you would like to compress it? If so, I inform you that compressing photos in PDF is quite simple. But it is necessary to intervene on the document in its entirety. Proceeding as I have indicated in my tutorial dedicated specifically to how to compress a PDF file.