How to compress an image to 20 KB
- Click Select images or drop one or more photos onto the page. JPG, PNG and WebP are supported.
- The target is already set to 20 KB. You can change it if your limit is different.
- Click Compress to 20 KB. The tool finds the best quality that fits under the limit.
- Download the image, or all images as a ZIP. The result screen confirms every file is within the limit.
When you need a 20 KB image
Signatures and passport-style photos for government portals, exam registrations and job applications often have a 20 KB limit, sometimes with a minimum of 10 KB as well. Uploading a larger file usually fails with an error such as “File size exceeds the limit”, so it helps to get the size right before you start filling in the form.
How the 20 KB target is reached
At 20 KB there is very little room, so the tool lowers the JPG quality first and then reduces the pixel dimensions if needed. A typical passport photo ends up around 200–350 pixels wide, which is usually exactly what these forms expect. Signatures compress especially well because they are mostly white. Unlike tools that apply one fixed quality setting, this compressor tries several quality levels and keeps the best one under your target, so you never get a file that is bigger than allowed or needlessly worse than necessary.
Tips for the best result
- Crop first. Removing empty space with the Image Cropper leaves more of the 20 KB budget for the important part of the photo.
- Use good light and a plain background. Simple images compress much better than busy ones.
- Check required dimensions. If the form also asks for a pixel size, resize with the Image Resizer before compressing.
- Keep the original. Compression is one-way; always keep a copy of the full-quality photo.
Private by design
ID photos, signatures and documents are sensitive. Here they are compressed on your own device; nothing is uploaded, stored or seen by anyone else. For scanned signatures, use the Signature Resizer. Other sizes: 20 KB, 50 KB, 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB, or use the full Image Compressor.
Frequently asked questions
What size in pixels will my 20 KB photo be?
It depends on the photo, but most end up between 200 and 400 pixels wide. Forms that ask for 20 KB usually also specify dimensions such as 200×230 px; resize to that first with the Image Resizer for the best result.
My form says 10–20 KB. What if the file is too small?
If the result is under the minimum, compress again with the target set to 19 KB, or use a higher-resolution original. Very small files mean the tool had to reduce the image a lot.
Will the photo still be clear?
Faces and signatures stay recognizable at 20 KB. Fine background detail is lost first, which is why plain, light backgrounds work best for ID photos.