How to Make a JPEG Smaller: The Ultimate Guide

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Photographs can be a valuable asset to any business. However, those images do not have to take up a lot of room. JPEG format is one of the most widely used file formats on the Internet. You can use it for photos, documents, and more. In this article, we will guide you on how to make a JPEG file smaller, so you can easily shrink your files before posting them online or sending them via email, without sacrificing quality.

Why you may want to shrink your JPEG file

When you compress a JPEG file size, the file takes up less space. By reducing your JPEG file size by 5 percent of its identical size, you are able to store more files. This is critical for any tech user. It is especially useful to graphic designers who interact with tons of photos. They can store numerous files without compromising the computer's performance.

Web designers also benefit from shrinking JPEG files as they are able to make sites with more pictures. This has a significant impact on website traffic. If your web host transfers data slowly, compression can help you see the entire website page and interact with it more quickly.

How to make a JPEG file smaller

Using Window's Microsoft Paint

Microsoft Paint is preinstalled in every Windows system, making it a straightforward choice when in need of reducing the size of an image file. Microsoft Paint also includes basic graphic editing tools and the ability to open and save images in most common formats.

1. Start by locating the JPEG file whose size you want to reduce, right-click on it, and then click on the "Edit" option. Paint will now open the image.
2. Below the "Home" tab, press the "Resize" section. Here, under the skew dialog box, click on the "Maintain aspect ratio" checkbox, which suggests your resized image will maintain its identical picture ratio. By selecting the "Maintain aspect ratio" checkbox, it will require you to specify the image's height (vertical value) or the width (horizontal value), whereas it automatically updates the other checkbox.
3. You can select whether you want to decrease the scale of your image by Pixel or Percentage by entering the pixel or percentage value you want to reduce either in the vertical or the horizontal box. Then, press "OK"
4. Click on the "File" option, followed by "Save As". Decide the filename of your reduced JPEG and "Save".

Using Preview on Mac

Preview is a PDF and image viewing application that is pre-installed on every Mac running OS X or the latest versions. Using Preview to make your JPEG files smaller is quick and simple. Follow these steps:

1. Launch Preview and open the JPEG file you wish to reduce. You can also press the "Ctrl" button while clicking your preferred image as an alternative, then move to "Open" and then "Preview"
2. Select the "Adjust Size" option, which is under the menu bar at the "Tools" section
3. Choose whether you want the adjustments made by size or percentage under the "Image Dimension" pop-up window
4. Change the height or width and your image resolution. The resulting size will dictate the size of the new file.
5. To view how your reduced JPEG image looks, press "OK"
6. Go to "Files", select "Save As", and then name your file and "Save"

Conclusion

With this guide, you can fine-tune your images and reduce their size without sacrificing quality. If you are looking for a graphics app that will facilitate your process of compressing photos, we recommend CorelDRAW. All you have to do is sign up to access our free trial.