How do I compress an image to 20KB?

Upload the photo above. The limit is already set to 20KB, so click Compress. The tool finds the best quality that fits and shows the final size before you download the JPG.

Will my photo be exactly 20KB?

It will be at or just under 20KB, usually within a few KB of the limit. Forms ask for a maximum, so a file slightly under the limit is accepted.

The form says the photo must be a certain number of pixels. Can I set that?

Yes. Choose Pixels and enter the width and height. The photo is centre-cropped to that shape and the quality is adjusted to meet the KB limit.

Can I set the size in cm and DPI?

Yes. Choose Centimetres + DPI, enter for example 3.5 x 4.5 cm and 200 DPI. The tool calculates the pixels and writes the DPI into the JPG file.

Does it work with PNG, WebP or iPhone photos?

JPG, PNG and WebP work, and the result is always a JPG because that is what forms accept and what compresses best. iPhone HEIC photos may not open in every browser; convert them to JPG first or change the camera setting to Most Compatible.

Is my photo uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything happens inside your browser, so your photo and signature never leave your device.

Yes. No signup, no watermark and no limit on how many images you compress.

Compress Image to 20KB

Get any photo under 20KB for an online form. The limit is already set to 20KB - upload, compress, download a JPG. Set exact pixels or centimetres if the form asks for them. Free, private, no signup.

Loading image tool...

Features

Preset to 20KB - nothing to configure
Finds the highest quality that still fits the limit
Optional exact size in pixels or centimetres, with DPI
Whiten-background option for scanned signatures
Shows the final KB and dimensions before you download
100% private - the image never leaves your browser
No signup, no watermark, works on phone and laptop

When You Need an Image Under 20KB

Exam and Job Applications

Recruitment and exam portals often cap the photo and signature upload. Get yours under 20KB without losing the face or the signature detail.

Admission and Scholarship Forms

College and scholarship forms reject images above their limit. Compress once and upload.

Government Services

Online service portals set strict size caps on every photo and document image.

Email and Chat

Small images send and open instantly on slow connections.

Getting an Image Under 20KB: What Works

How the tool reaches the limit

The photo is redrawn as a JPG and the tool searches for the highest quality that fits under 20KB. If the image is huge, it is first reduced to a sensible size (a phone photo at full resolution is far bigger than any form needs). If you set exact dimensions, those are kept and only the quality changes.

To be safe with strict portals, 20KB is treated as 20000 bytes, the smaller of the two ways websites count a kilobyte.

If the form also specifies dimensions or DPI

Choose Pixels and enter the width and height from the form, or choose Centimetres + DPI (for example 3.5 x 4.5 cm at 200 DPI). The photo is centre-cropped to that shape, and the DPI is written into the file.

Other sizes and related tools

A different limit? Use Compress Image to Any KB, or the 20KB, 50KB and 100KB presets.
Signature on paper? The signature resizer whitens the background so it fits in 10-20KB.
Need printed passport photos? Use the passport size photo maker.
The document is a PDF? Use Compress PDF to 200KB or Compress PDF to 100KB.