How to compress images for email attachments

For a normal photo that someone will view on a phone or laptop, 500KB to 1MB is a useful starting range. A single photo can often stay clear at that size. If you are sending several images in one message, use a smaller target for each one.

Open the email image compressor with a 1MB target already selected.

Email services limit the combined size of all files in a message. Ten images at 1MB each are very different from one image at 1MB. Decide how many photos you need to send, then choose a per-image target that leaves room for the rest of the attachments.

TargetKB can process up to 10 images in one batch, so you can apply the same sensible target consistently.

Phone cameras create images much larger than an email recipient usually needs. If the photo will be viewed in a message rather than printed, resize it to a reasonable display width before compressing. This normally looks better than keeping every pixel and lowering JPEG quality too far.

Use Resize Image first when you know the desired dimensions.

JPG is usually the most efficient format for photos. PNG can be better for diagrams, screenshots, or transparency, but photographic PNG files are often unnecessarily large for email. When the recipient does not need transparency, JPG is normally the simpler choice.

Use Convert Image to JPG if you need to change the format first.

Open one of the compressed files and check the areas that matter: faces, small text, product details, or document information. If the image looks soft, increase the target slightly or begin with a higher-quality original. Avoid repeatedly compressing a file that has already been compressed.

For website-sized images instead, see how to compress an image to 200KB.

Check how TargetKB handles KB and MB limits, image quality, transparency and batches before preparing an upload.