Maybe you need to crop a PNG or JPG image for work and need it to look high-quality and professional, or you want to resize your business card without sacrificing its resolution. You can’t risk calculating the precise pixel resolution on your own and end up with a poor-quality image.
How to resize an image
There is a seemingly endless number of tools to choose from when it comes to resizing pictures. Your Windows 10 desktop or Chromebook already has the vast majority of these handy tools, so you can edit your images quickly without paying for expensive editing software that hogs precious memory space.
Contents
Recommended Videos
Difficulty
Easy
Duration
15 minutes
What You Need
- Windows 10 PC, Mac, or Chromebook
- Windows 10, Preview in macOS, or Gallery in ChromeOS app
This guide will show you how you can resize an image using Photos in Windows 10, Preview in macOS, and Gallery in ChromeOS. In case you’re not a fan of those apps, we’ll also provide instructions for a web-based client.
Windows 10
For Windows 10 PCs, we prefer to use the operating system’s native Photos app. Follow the steps below to resize an image in Photos on Windows 10:
Step 1: Right-click on the image and select Open with followed by Photos.
Step 2: Select the Three dots icon located in the app’s top-right corner.
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Step 3: Select Resize on the drop-down menu.
Step 4: A pop-up window appears. Select one of the three preset sizes (shown on the left). Otherwise, choose Define custom dimensions for a specific size. Another pop-up window appears (shown on the right).
Step 5: To keep the aspect ratio, select the box next to Maintain aspect ratio.
As you enter a number into one of the boxes, the other box will automatically adjust its number in proportion to the number you just entered. If the aspect ratio doesn’t matter, don’t check the box, and enter the numbers in both boxes.
Step 6: Select the purple Save resized copy button.
macOS
On macOS, you can use Preview to resize images. Here’s how to do that:
Step 1: Right-click on the image and select Open. If Preview is not your default image viewer, select Open with followed by Preview instead.
Step 2: Select Tools on the menu bar.
Step 3: Select Adjust size on the drop-down menu.
Step 4: Enter the width and height information. You may need to switch the size type, like changing from inches to pixels, as shown above. Alternatively, you can select a preset size by selecting the arrows next to Fit into.
Step 5: Select the blue OK button to confirm the new size.
Step 6: To save the resized image, select File on the menu bar.
Step 7: Select Save.
Benefits of properly resized images
It might be tempting to skip the resizing step and upload your image as-is, but it’s worth taking the time to resize an image. Properly sized images have several benefits, from faster load times for web pages to better user experiences.
When images are too big, they can slow down page loading times, creating a frustrating experience for your audience. At the same time, large images can take up valuable storage space on devices and servers.
On the other hand, images that are too small may appear blurry or pixelated, which can also take a toll on your user experience. By properly sizing images, you can improve your website performance and reduce your storage space — all while enhancing the visual appeal of your content.
How to reduce the size of an image online
Thanks to Picsart’s free resizing tools, you don’t have to worry about poor image quality. Picsart offers several resizing tools on its app as well as its desktop version , like the Image Upscale tool . It even provides different ratio options within each social media platform for all your posting needs!
Need to resize a Facebook cover photo? Or an Instagram story? We’ve got you covered. Here are a few options for quick image resizing.
Method 1: How to resize a photo with Picsart
Resizing images with Picsart’s web editor and mobile app is quick and simple, even if you’re not a seasoned graphic designer. Here’s how to instantly resize images with the Upscale tool.
- Open the Image Upscale tool.
- Click Upload Image Now to upload an image from your library. If you need to resize multiple photos, you can upload up to three photos at a time.
- Enter the desired dimension from the dropdown menu (height and width), or choose to upscale your image by two or three times by choosing the preset options.
- Click Apply in the bottom-left corner to resize your image. Then, click on your newly resized image to download your edit.
- Open the Picsart app and tap the plus sign (+) to upload your photo.
- Tap Tools and then choose Resize to instantly resize your image.
- Next, enter your desired width and height and press OK to apply the changes.
- Tap Next . Then, choose Save and Download to save your newly resized image.
Method 2: How to reduce picture size with Quicktools by Picsart
Searching for a more beginner-friendly option? With Quicktools by Picsart, you can instantly resize images without any registration or download. Everything is done in our online editor, so you can enjoy quick and easy edits in seconds. Here’s how to get started.
- Open the Resize Image tool.
- Drag and drop an image into the dotted box, or click Select Image to upload a picture from your library.
- Next, choose By Pixels in the right-panel toolbar to set the width and height of your resized picture. Alternatively, you can choose By Percentage to make your picture proportionately smaller.
- When you’re finished adjusting the settings, click Resize Image .
- Click Download Image to save your newly resized image.
Best practices for image resizing
Whether you’re resizing images for your Facebook profile picture or upscaling photos before printing, here are a few tips to help you resize images properly.
1. Understand your image format
Several image formats are commonly used, including JPEG, PNG, GIF, and BMP — and each format has its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, JPEG is ideal for photographs and complex images, while PNG is better for images with transparency and sharp edges.
When it comes to image quality, there are several factors to consider. Resolution is one of the most important, as it determines how many pixels are used to create the image. The higher the resolution, the better the image quality. Compression is also important, as it can affect the final image quality. Some formats, such as JPEG, use compression to reduce file size but can result in a loss of quality. Other formats, like PNG, use lossless compression, which maintains image quality but results in larger file sizes.
Ultimately, choosing the right image format and ensuring proper resolution and compression can greatly impact the quality of the final image.
2. Maintain your image quality
The quality of an image can be measured by its pixel resolution. The general rule of thumb is that the higher the pixels, the higher the resolution, and thus the higher quality the image looks. The lower the resolution, the grainer, and the more pixelated it might look. Fortunately, using an online image resizer can help you avoid resolution issues.
To maintain your image quality, make sure to maintain the aspect ratio of the original image to avoid distortion. In addition, try resizing the image to the exact dimensions needed for your specific case. For the best results, use high-quality image compression to reduce the file size without sacrificing your visual quality.
