Compressing photo files

[Sinann]

I usually resize in Paint, be sure to select all the original and copy and paste it to a new paint window then resize the copy that way you still have the original.
When you save the copy look at the bottom of the screen there is a little box with the size, if it's not small enough you can resize again.

[Gadget]

Well,  a photo (assuming it's JPG or similar), IS compressed.   That's what the jpg format does.  All you can sensibly do is "resize" - and that reduces the number of pixels, and thus the number of bytes, in the file..   JPGs are already compressed, and using any other software to try to further compress a JPG will have very little impact on the file size.    As you say, a RESIZE will reduce image quality.

There's compression and compression. In most graphic programs, there is the option of deciding how much compression you want to have~

[Gadget]

The max file size here is 500KB, so if you have a file that's larger than that, how do you "resize" it in Photos to get it below the limit for uploading here, please?

STG

You can do this in Paint ~ Click on Resize and this pops up, then chose percentage or pixels

Snipped too much so a new  snip - see size at bottom - adjust until it's the size you want

[SmallTownGirl]

Trying this in Paint, but I must not be doing it properly because whether I opt for Percentage or Pixels, and then use lower numbers than are already there, the file size at the foot of the page doesn't change. 

Or, perhaps, it only changes once it's been re-saved?

STG

[greenrig]

Yes. i think that's right - check the "properties" of the file before and after resize "save" and you should see the byte count reduced.  Quality WILL suffer on a resize.

[SmallTownGirl]

Yes, saving it showed the reduced file size.

Thanks
STG