Compress an image to under 20 KB
Drop photos and get each one under 20 KB, at the highest quality that fits. The tool tests several quality levels on your device until the file meets the limit, so you do not have to guess. Nothing is uploaded.
How to use the Compress image to 20 KB
- Add the image or images (drag, click or paste).
- The target is preset to 20 KB. Optionally set a smaller Max width for very large photos.
- Click Compress. The tool searches for the best quality under the limit.
- Check the size shown next to each result and download.
Where a 20 KB limit comes up
Signature and thumbnail uploads on Indian government portals (SSC, UPSC, IBPS ask for signatures of 10–20 KB), some visa application photos, and forum avatars.
Getting under 20 KB without ruining the photo
At 20 KB you must also shrink dimensions: a 300 × 300 px JPG at quality 70 is about 15–20 KB. Set Max width to 1080 or smaller and let the target search do the rest. Photos of faces survive better than text; for signatures use PNG at small size instead.
How the size search works
JPEG and WebP size depends on quality and pixel count. The tool encodes the image at 50% quality, checks the size, then halves the interval up or down eight times, landing on the highest quality that produces a file under 20 KB. If even the lowest quality is too large, it reports the smallest achievable file; reduce Max width and run again. PNG cannot be compressed by quality, so PNG input is converted to JPG (or WebP if chosen) to reach the target; choose PNG output only if you need transparency and accept that a size target cannot be enforced.
Quality expectations
| Input | Max width | Typical result |
|---|---|---|
| Phone photo 4032 × 3024, 3.5 MB | 1080 px | quality ~40, soft but recognisable |
| Screenshot 1920 × 1080 PNG, 1.2 MB | keep | converted to JPG/WebP; text may blur — use smaller dimensions |
| Scanned document 2480 × 3508 | 1600 px | legible for reference only |
Other size targets
under 50 KB · under 100 KB · under 200 KB · under 500 KB · under 1 MB · custom.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a photo smaller than 20 KB?
Drop it above and click Compress. The tool lowers JPEG/WebP quality step by step, and optionally the width, until the file is under 20 KB.
Will the picture look bad?
At very small targets some softness is unavoidable, especially in fine text. Faces and scenes remain clear at the suggested widths.
Does this work for PNG and HEIC?
Yes. PNG is converted to JPG or WebP to reach the target (PNG has no quality setting); HEIC from iPhones is decoded on your device.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. Compression runs in your browser; you can turn off your connection after the page loads.
Privacy
This tool runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly and the Canvas/File APIs. Your files are never uploaded to ToolFlint or any third party; you can verify this in your browser's network tab or by switching to airplane mode after the page loads. Read how we process files.
Last updated 2026-09-23.