20 KB target
Reduce an image to 20 KB
For the rare forms that still demand a tiny photo. Crop first, keep the 20 KB target, compare the face, then download if both size and recognition work.
Drop your images here
Click anywhere or drop files, tweak options, then press Reduce
Quick presets
One tap for common upload caps—then press Reduce.
Auto-reduce after add
Off by default—you stay in control
Aim for a max file size
Chase a KB target instead of a quality slider
Optional. Only images larger than this get scaled down; it is not your current photo size.
Resizing usually shrinks photos more than quality alone. PNG kept at original size rarely gets smaller (lossless)—turn on a cap here, or use a KB target to save as JPG.
How it works
- 01
Crop to a headshot first
Do the crop in your gallery if you can—then drop the tighter photo here.
- 02
Keep 20 KB + small max edge
Target is pre-set. Cap max width/height near 800px when the first pass looks muddy.
- 03
Compare faces, then download
Check eyes and expression in Compare. Download only when both size and recognition pass.
Why 20 KB feels impossible at first
Phone cameras casually produce multi-megabyte files. Twenty kilobytes is roughly one percent of that—or less. Exam boards, older visa portals, and a few government forms still print that number because their systems were built when dial-up uploads were normal.
Hitting 20 KB is less about “one magic quality slider” and more about removing everything the form doesn’t need: background, empty sky, and excess pixels.
Prep that matters more than the compressor
- Crop to shoulders-and-head before you drop the file here
- Use even lighting—heavy shadows cost bytes to look clean
- Avoid screenshots of screenshots; start from the camera original
- Prefer a plain backdrop over busy wallpaper or outdoor scenes
Suggested first settings on this page
- Leave Aim for a max file size at 20 KB.
- Set max width/height to 800px (or 1280px if the first result is tiny).
- Press Reduce, then open Compare on the face.
- If still over size, crop tighter and Re-run—don’t only slam quality.
What “acceptable” means at 20 KB
Expect softer skin and fewer fine pores. Reviewers usually need to confirm identity, not print a poster. If glasses reflections or hair edges turn into smudges, step up to 100 KB when the rules allow, or retake the photo with a simpler background.
Need a full document instead of a face photo?
Use the PDF size reducer. Tiny image caps and multi-page PDFs are different problems—don’t jam a whole form into a 20 KB JPG.
Related tools
Common questions
Can every photo fit under 20 KB?
Not with rich detail. Busy backgrounds and wide landscapes fight the budget. A cropped headshot with a capped edge has a much better chance.
JPG or PNG for a 20 KB ID photo?
Prefer JPG (or WebP). PNG rarely reaches 20 KB for real photos without becoming a different format anyway.
What max dimension should I try first?
Start around 800px on the longest side, then Reduce. If faces look soft but you’re still over, crop tighter before lowering quality further.
How do I judge if the face is still acceptable?
Use Compare after Reduce. Eyes, hairline, and glasses frames should stay recognizable at form-thumbnail size—not print-magazine sharp.
What if the portal allows 50 KB instead?
Switch to the 50 KB preset. Extra kilobytes usually buy clearer skin texture and fewer compression artifacts.