Compress an Image to 2MB
2MB is the upload limit you'll meet on many WordPress sites, job portals and online forms. It's also roomy enough that most photos don't need resizing, so FormShrink keeps your image at its original dimensions and only lowers the JPG quality as far as needed to compress it to 2MB or less.
The compression happens on your device. Nothing is uploaded, and there's no sign-up.
This page presets the tool: Advanced mode, JPG output and a 2MB target (2048 in the Target size field). Resize Image is off, so pixel dimensions stay the same. Adjust any setting under Compression Settings, and Reset Settings brings this preset back.
Drop your images here
Click to select images
The target size comes first: FormShrink lowers the quality below your chosen level when needed to reach it.
Higher values preserve more detail but produce larger files.
Leave blank to let FormShrink decide the optimal size.
EXIF data such as camera details and GPS location is removed automatically
JPEG · PNG · WebP support target size compression. Other formats need to be converted first.
How to compress an image to 2MB
Add the photos that are too big
Drag them onto the upload area or click Browse Files. You can add up to 10 images at once, each up to 50MB.
Keep the dimensions or set a maximum
Nothing is resized by default. If a site also limits pixel size, or your photo is 48 megapixels or more, turn on Resize Image and enter a maximum Width and Height.
Compress to 2MB and download
Click Compress Images. Each photo is compressed to 2MB or less at the highest JPG quality that fits. Then use Download All or download them one by one.
Where 2MB limits come from
PHP, which runs WordPress and many other sites, ships with a default upload limit of 2MB. Plenty of hosts never raise it, so “Maximum upload file size: 2 MB” is a familiar sight.
WordPress and other CMS uploads
If the media library rejects a photo, compress it here instead of changing server settings. For blog posts you might also resize to about 2560 px: WordPress scales larger uploads down to that size anyway.
Job portals and applications
Many online applications accept photos and supporting documents up to 2MB. A full-resolution phone photo usually fits after only a moderate reduction in quality.
Forums and community sites
Forum attachment limits are often just a few megabytes. Compressing to 2MB keeps the full-size photo, so other people can still zoom in on the details.
Sharing at full resolution
When someone needs every pixel, for a print or a close-up crop, but the service in between limits file size, 2MB keeps the original dimensions intact.
Tips for 2MB photos
- A 12-megapixel phone photo usually fits in 2MB with little visible loss. Photos of 48 megapixels or more need a much lower quality to fit, so resizing them to about 4000 px often looks better.
- FormShrink's 2MB is 2,097,152 bytes. If a limit is stated as 2,000,000 bytes, set the target to 1950KB.
- Scans saved as TIFF or BMP are often tens of megabytes because they're uncompressed. Converting them to JPG here usually brings them under 2MB without any resizing.
- Already under 2MB? Then you don't need to compress it for the limit. Re-saving a JPG always costs a little quality.
Questions about compressing to 2MB
Does compressing an image to 2MB change its dimensions?
Not on this page. Resize Image is off, so width and height stay exactly the same and only the JPG quality is adjusted. If a very large image can't reach 2MB this way, the tool says so; turn on Resize Image and try again.
How much quality is lost at 2MB?
For a typical 12-megapixel phone photo, very little: the tool can usually keep a fairly high quality setting, and the difference is hard to spot. The more megapixels a photo has, the harder it has to be compressed to fit.
Can I raise the WordPress upload limit instead?
Sometimes. The limit comes from your host's PHP settings (upload_max_filesize and post_max_size), which you can often raise in your hosting control panel or by asking your host. Compressing your images is the quicker fix, and lighter images also make your pages load faster.
Can I compress a PNG to 2MB and keep it as a PNG?
Yes. Change Output Format to PNG. FormShrink then reduces the number of colors and, if that isn't enough, scales the image down to hit 2MB. For photos, JPG usually keeps more quality at the same size.
What about HEIC photos from an iPhone?
HEIC isn't supported. Export the photo as a JPEG first, or set Settings › Camera › Formats to Most Compatible so your iPhone saves new photos as JPG.
Related sizes, formats and guides
- Compress image to 1MBGet photos under the ever-present 1MB upload limit while keeping them large, up to 4096 px, right in your browser.
- Compress image to 500KBHalf a megabyte keeps photos and scans detailed at up to 2560 px: for document uploads, email attachments and slides.
- Compress JPGShrink JPG and JPEG photos by re-saving them at a quality you choose, 10 at a time, without uploading them.
- Compress PNGShrink PNG screenshots, logos and graphics into smaller palette PNGs with transparency kept, right in your browser.
- Reduce image file sizeShrink photos with the tools built into Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, keep the original dimensions when you must, and get under email limits.
- Compress images in PowerPointUse Compress Pictures in PowerPoint, Word and Excel on Windows and Mac, pick the right resolution, and know when to shrink images before inserting them.
- Compress Images Online – JPG, PNG & WebP