Compress Image to 20 KB

Hit a 20 KB upload limit without guessing at a quality slider. Drop one photo below — output is JPG at or under 20 KB.

Drop a photo here, or click to choose

JPG, PNG, WEBP, or iPhone HEIC · max 50 MB · output is JPG at 20 KB

Why 20 KB is the hard one

A modern phone photo is 3–6 MB. Getting that to 20 KB is a reduction of more than 99%, and you cannot reach it by nudging a quality slider alone. Pixel dimensions and encoder quality have to be balanced together.

This tool scales the photo down to a web-sensible width first, then re-encodes repeatedly until the file lands under 20 KB.

How to use it

  1. Select the photo you need to upload.
  2. The tool finds the best quality that fits under 20 KB.
  3. Press Download JPG and confirm the file size on your device.

If the form also dictates an exact pixel box, use the resize tool or homepage editor for width and height, then run the 20 KB target.

If the target is missed

Very detailed images may not reach 20 KB without heavy artifacts. The tool returns the smallest file it can make and warns you. Crop tighter around the face or subject first.

Frequently asked questions

How do I compress a photo to 20 KB?

Choose a JPG, PNG, WEBP, or HEIC photo above. The image is resized and re-encoded until it is at or under 20 KB, then you download the JPG. No signup required.

Why do forms insist on 20 KB?

Government and job portals enforce small caps so millions of applicant photos fit in legacy systems. 20 KB is among the tightest limits, often paired with exact pixel dimensions.

What if the photo cannot get down to 20 KB?

Crop tighter or reduce dimensions first. The tool warns when the target was missed and returns the smallest JPG it could produce.

Should I use 20 KB or 100 KB?

Use the largest size the form allows. If it says 100 KB, use the 100 KB tool instead — the photo will look noticeably better.

Are my photos uploaded?

Yes, for server-side target search and HEIC support. Files are processed in a temporary folder and deleted immediately after.