When JPEG compression is useful
JPEG is the best-known format for photos because it compresses natural image data efficiently. It is often the right choice when you want a smaller file for email, web use, or quick sharing. The tradeoff is that repeated re-encoding can quietly reduce detail, especially in sharp edges, text, and high-contrast lines.
Pick the quality level deliberately
A higher quality setting keeps more detail, but the file can stay larger. A lower quality setting can reduce file size, but it makes artifacts more obvious. In practice, the best workflow is to test a few settings and choose the smallest file that still looks clean on the screen or in print.
A practical workflow
- Start with the original image that you want to shrink.
- Open the JPEG compressor and test a few quality values, such as 75, 60, and 45.
- Compare the file size and review the image at 100% zoom.
- Keep the setting that looks clean for the intended use.