Frequently asked questions
How do I get my photo under 20 KB without ruining it?
Don't guess with quality sliders. This tool automatically finds the highest quality (and, if needed, the largest dimensions) that still fits 20 KB — the result is the best-looking image that passes the limit.
Is my photo uploaded to your server?
No. Compression happens entirely inside your browser using its built-in image engine. Your photo never leaves your device — there is nothing to upload, and nothing for us to store.
What formats can I compress?
JPG, PNG and WebP input. Output is JPG (works everywhere) or WebP (smaller, supported by all modern browsers and portals). PNG output isn't offered because PNG can't hit small size targets for photos.
Why 20 KB, and why it's the hardest target
20 KB is the tightest photo limit you'll normally meet, and it almost always comes from one place: signature and thumb-impression boxes on government and exam forms, plus the occasional tiny profile icon. These fields were sized for a scanned signature on white paper, not a colour photograph, which is why fitting an actual portrait into 20 KB is genuinely demanding.
What to expect at this size
At 20 KB there simply isn't enough data for a large, detailed photo, so the tool will usually reduce the pixel dimensions as well as the quality. That's the right call — a smaller, clean image reads far better than a full-size one shattered into compression blocks. For a signature or thumb impression, the result is crisp and perfectly acceptable. For a face photo forced to 20 KB, expect it to look soft; if the form allows a slightly higher limit, use it.
How to get a usable 20 KB image
- Crop tightly first. For a signature, crop to just the ink; for a face, crop to head and shoulders. Every removed pixel is quality returned to what remains.
- Prefer a plain background. A signature on white or a face against a flat wall compresses far smaller than a busy scene, because there's less detail to encode.
- Scan signatures in grayscale where the form permits it — it shrinks dramatically and looks cleaner than a colour photo of the same mark.
Set the tool to 20 KB above and check the preview. If you need a little more headroom, the 50 KB and 100 KB presets are one click away.