Compress an image to 1 MB

When 1 MB is the limit

1 MB is a common cap on upload forms, insurance claims, rental and job applications, and some school and government portals. It also helps with email: a set of full-size phone photos can push a message past the attachment limit, while the same photos at under 1 MB each fit easily.

Unlike the small limits, 1 MB leaves room for real detail. The tool starts at a high quality at full size and lowers it only as far as it must, so most photos keep their full width and height.

Making photos look their best under 1 MB

If a photo comes out softer than you’d like, the limit is fighting against its pixel count. Setting Max size to 2560 or 1920 px gives each pixel more of the budget, and the photo usually looks sharper on screen than a full-size one squeezed harder.

Photos for printing are the exception. Keep Max size on Original, and if the result isn’t sharp enough, the 1 MB limit may simply be too small for a print-quality photo. Use compress image with a quality setting instead, or ask whether a larger file is allowed.