Have you experienced the frustration of trying to send multiple JPEGs over email, only to get a notification that your attachments are too large?

If you have, then this article is for you. We'll help you learn how to make a JPEG smaller with several quick and easy options.

1. How to Reduce JPEG Size on Windows

Microsoft Paint is included on any Windows system, so it's a convenient option for making a JPEG smaller. The program also offers basic graphic editing tools and the ability to open and save images in most standard formats.

Follow the steps below to quickly reduce the size of a JPEG in Microsoft Paint:

  1. First, you'll need to locate the image you wish to resize. Right-click it once you have, and select Edit. This will open your image in Paint.
    Open Image to Resize in Paint
  2. Under the Home tab, click Resize.
    Select Resize Option in Paint for Image or JPEG
  3. In the Resize and Skew dialog box, select the Maintain aspect ratio checkbox. This way, the resized image will have the same aspect ratio as the original picture. If the Maintain aspect ratio checkbox is selected, you only need to enter the Horizontal value (width) or Vertical value (height). The other box in the resize area is updated automatically.
  4. After completing the steps above, you can select if you wish to reduce your image by Percentage or Pixel.
  5. Enter a percentage or pixel value to reduce the width in the Horizontal box, or enter a percentage or pixel value to reduce the height in the Vertical box.
  6. Click OK once you've done all of the above.
    Resize Adjustments for Image in Paint
  7. After choosing OK, select File > Save As. Then, choose a file format for your image.
  8. Enter a name for your file and select Save.

2. How to Reduce JPEG Size on a Mac

You can reduce the size of a JPEG on your Mac in two different ways, and we'll cover both of them below.

Reducing a JPEG Size With Preview

Every Mac with OS X or newer has a version of Preview installed on it. Preview is an image and PDF viewer that can print images and PDF files, and also edit these image formats. It’s a quick and easy way to reduce the size of a JPEG.

You can search for Preview in Spotlight to access the app. After doing that and choosing the picture you want to resize, follow these steps:

  1. Under the Tools option on the menu bar, choose Adjust Size.
    Change Image Size in Preview on Mac by Going to Tools
  2. Choose the dimensions you want to resize your image to. In the Image Dimensions popup window, select if you want the adjustments to be done by Percent or Size. Adjust the width/height and resolution. When you change these values, the Resulting Size section will tell you exactly how large your new file will be.
    Adjust Image Size in Preview on Your Mac
  3. Click on OK when you're happy with your changes.
  4. Select File > Export to create a new copy of your JPEG. Enter a filename for your image and click Save.
    Export File From Preview on Mac Screenshot

Reduce the Size of a JPEG Without Entering Dimensions

Another way to reduce the size of a JPEG is to choose whether you want it to be full-size or something else.

  1. Press Control + trackpad to select the image you want to resize.
  2. Go to Quick Actions > Convert Image.
    Convert an Image on Your Mac
  3. Expand the dropdown menu next to Image Size and choose your new preferred photo size. Tap Convert to JPEG when you're finished. You can perform this action on PNG files as well.
    Convert an image to JPEG on your Mac

If you want to use the Photos app, we've got plenty of tips and tricks to help you master the Photos app on your Mac.

3. How to Reduce JPEG Size on iOS

The Image Size app on iOS allows you to reduce a JPEG size to whatever size you require. You can specify the output format using pixels, millimeters, centimeters, or inches. It also lets you preserve the aspect ratio of your image if needed. This app gives you the option of saving, emailing, printing, or sharing the final image.

Follow the steps below to get started resizing photos on your iOS device:

  1. Download and install the Image Size app on your device.
  2. Open an image using the Gallery icon, or take a photo using the Camera icon.
  3. Select Choose to confirm your image choice.
  4. Enter your desired output size into the Width and Height boxes.
  5. If you wish to maintain your aspect ratio, select the Chain between Width and Height. You can also change your units of measurement to match your requirements. Below the image, you will see the original size versus the new size of the image.
  6. Once you have the correct image size, you can select if you wish to Save, Print, Send, or Share your image.

If you don't like Image Size, here are more free photo editing apps for iPhone you could try.

Download: Image Size for iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

4. How to Reduce JPEG Size on Android

If you want to compress JPEGs quickly on your Android device, Photo & Picture Resizer is a great choice. This app allows you to easily reduce JPEG file sizes without losing quality. You don’t have to manually save resized pictures because they are automatically saved in a separate folder for you.

Follow the steps below to resize your JPEGs on Android:

  1. Download and install the Photo & Picture Resizer app on your device.
  2. Open an image using the Select photos button, or snap a picture using the Take a photo button.
  3. Select one or more images you wish to resize.
  4. Select one of the dimension options in the Select dimensions window. You can select the Custom option, however, it is recommended that you select one of the recommended dimension adjustments.
  5. Your newly-resized images are automatically saved to your Pictures/PhotoResizer folder. You can now select if you wish to email your image or share it on one of many online platforms.

If you don't find this app sufficient for your needs, check out these other Android apps for reducing image size.

Download: Photo & Picture Resizer for Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. How to Reduce JPEG Size Online

You can use several websites to resize your images, and we'll cover two here.

Shutterstock Image Resizer

Shutterstock's free image resizer is one of many websites that will help you reduce the size of your JPEGs quickly. The best part is, you can easily access it from your browser.

Follow the steps below to resize your images in seconds:

  1. Open the Shutterstock Image Resizer.
  2. Upload your image—or drag and drop it into the Step One box.
    Shutterstock Image Resizer
  3. Select the image size you prefer. You can use the preset sizes or provide custom dimensions.
    Shutterstock Image Resizing Options
  4. Click on Download to save the file to your computer.

Image File Formats and What They Are Used For

Pixlr

Pixlr is another popular photo resizing tool. To resize your pictures, you'll typically use Pixlr X.

  1. Go to Pixlr and select Start design project under Pixlr X.
    Use Pixlr X to resize a photo
  2. Upload your photo to Pixlr. The easiest way to do this is by dragging and dropping your file.
  3. Choose your preferences on the Pre-resize Image window. Then, select Apply.
    Choose the Pixlr Resize Window
  4. Click on Crop & Rotate before entering your new preferred dimensions in the Width and Height boxes. Hit the Enter key when you're happy with your changes.
    Choose dimensions for image resizing in Pixlr
  5. Click on Save when you're ready to export your file. Customize your image quality, name, and so on—before selecting Save again.
    Save an Image from Pixlr after editing

6. Adobe Lightroom

If you edit your photos with Adobe Lightroom, you can resize your images however you want. Here's how to do it:

  1. Click on the Crop & Straighten icon in the Develop tab of a picture you want to resize.
  2. Expand the Aspect menu. Choose your preferred aspect ratio, or—if you want to customize these—click on Custom instead.
    Screenshot Showing How to Resize a Photo in Lightroom

You can also edit JPEG files in Lightroom CC and Classic if you don't want to use RAW files.

Image Resizing Made Easy

Now, you have several quick and easy ways to resize your images for emailing or uploading, regardless of your platform or device.

Each one of these methods has its advantages, depending on your workflow and the platforms you use. Pick the one that works for you, and start sharing those images!