Where the sweet spot usually sits
For photographs, quality 75-85 removes most of the file size and almost none of the visible detail. Below 60, artefacts start appearing around edges and in flat areas such as skies.
Images with text, screenshots and flat graphics behave differently — they show artefacts much earlier, and are usually better served by a lossless format than by aggressive compression.
Compression and page speed
Images are the largest payload on most web pages. Halving their weight is typically the single biggest Core Web Vitals win available, ahead of any JavaScript optimisation.
Frequently asked questions
Is compression reversible?
- No. Lossy re-encoding is permanent, so keep your original.
Does it change the dimensions?
- No — only the encoding quality changes. Use the resize tool to change dimensions.
Which format compresses best?
- WebP and AVIF, typically 25-50% smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality.