Compress a photo to the exact size your form asks for
Every official form seems to want a different number. A US visa wants 240 KB. A job application wants 50 KB for the photo and 20 KB for the signature. An exam portal wants something nobody clearly states. So here is a tool that takes the number off your form and produces a file just under it — without your passport photo being uploaded to anybody's server.
Compress to 240 KB Compress to 100 KB Compress to 50 KB
Each button opens the compressor with the exact-size mode already switched on and the number already filled in. Nothing to configure — drop your photo in and it comes out just under the limit.
If you would rather set it up yourself
- Open the image compressor.
- Turn on the compress to an exact file size option and enter the KB limit from your form.
- Drop your photo in. One file or a whole batch.
- Download the result. It lands just under your limit, at the highest quality that still fits.
Everything runs on a canvas in the page. There is no upload step, because there is nowhere for the file to upload to — which is worth a moment's thought when the image is a passport photo rather than a picture of your lunch.
Common limits people need
Each target below opens the compressor already set up for that number — the exact-size mode switched on and the value filled in, so there is nothing to configure. Change it afterwards if the form turns out to want something else.
| Target | Typically required by |
|---|---|
| 20 KB | Signatures on exam and job application forms |
| 50 KB | Photos on many government and recruitment portals |
| 100 KB | Visa portals and general KYC uploads |
| 240 KB | US visa photo (the official cap is 240 KB) |
If your form gives a pixel dimension as well — most passport forms do — resize to those exact pixels first. It is faster and it usually gets you under the cap before compression even starts.
Two things worth knowing before you start
Resizing is not compressing. Getting the dimensions right cuts the file size a lot but does not reliably get you under the limit — bytes only shrink when the image is re-encoded. Do both.
iPhone photos need converting first. They save as HEIC, which most portals reject outright, in a Display P3 colour space that portal checks do not expect. The HEIC guide explains it; the short version is that the format is efficient in a way that older upload systems were never built to read.
What this does not do
It reduces file size. It does not crop to a passport frame, change your background, remove shadows or judge whether your lighting and expression comply — those are decided when the photo is taken, not afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Is my photo uploaded to compress it?
No. The image is decoded, redrawn and re-encoded on a canvas element inside your browser tab. Nothing is sent over the network, so there is no server that could hold a copy of your passport photo or ID document. You can confirm it in the network panel of your browser's developer tools.
Will the result definitely be under my limit?
Yes. The tool searches for the highest quality setting whose output still fits under the limit you entered, and lands just under rather than exactly on it. For very small targets under about 20 KB it also steps the dimensions down, because quality alone sometimes cannot reach a limit that small.
What size should I enter?
Enter the maximum the form states. Common limits are 20 KB for signatures, 50 KB and 100 KB for exam and job application photos, and 240 KB for a US visa photo. Aim to land a few KB below whatever the maximum is.
Can I compress several photos at once?
Yes. Drop in multiple files and they are all compressed to the same target and returned together as a zip.
Does this replace a passport photo maker?
No. This reduces the file to a size limit; it does not crop to a passport frame, change the background, or judge lighting and expression. Those have to be right when the photo is taken.