How to reduce the weight of an image without changing its dimensions

Weight and dimensions are different things

File weight is measured in KB or MB, while dimensions are expressed in pixels. You can reduce the weight through compression while maintaining the same width and height, although the savings depend on the format and the original file.

Start with a moderate level

Use balanced compression and check the result. If you need to preserve the resolution exactly, avoid any tool that automatically reduces the width or height as part of the process.

What details to check

Zoom in and see small text, contrasting edges, hair, vegetation, and gradients. These are useful areas to quickly detect excessive quality loss.

If the file is already optimized

An image that has already undergone heavy compression may not be reduced much further without getting worse. In that case there is no magic way to download several megabytes while maintaining absolutely all the information.

Change format as an alternative

If the system that will receive the image accepts several formats, a well-chosen conversion can reduce the weight without modifying the dimensions. Always do a visual comparison before deciding.