Compress Image to 20KB
Reduce JPG, PNG or WebP image size to 20KB or less with a real target-size workflow. Review the result before using it for an upload or form.
Smart target workflow
Compress to 20KB without guesswork
Batch up to 50 images, review the real output, then download images, ZIP or a combined PDF.
Compressing an image to 20 KB: what actually happens
On this page 20 KB means at most 20,000 bytes. That also passes a portal that counts 1 KB as 1,024 bytes (a limit of 20,480 bytes), so you do not have to know which definition the form uses.
To get our 12-megapixel photo-style test image under 20 KB, the tool had to reduce it to 1505 × 1128 pixels as a JPG (19.4 KB, 14% of the original pixels). As WebP the same image kept 2090 × 1567 pixels in the same budget, 93% more pixels than the JPG.
Where a 20 KB limit comes from, and whether this page meets it
IBPS signature
IBPS asks for a scanned signature of 140 × 60 pixels (preferred), 10 to 20 KB, in JPG. 20 KB is the top of that band. A 140 × 60 signature is so small that it rarely gets near 20 KB; the 10 KB floor is the limit people miss, so the Signature Resizer (full-quality JPG and a pass/fail check for both ends) is the better tool here. A 20 KB file from this page is inside that range.
SSC CGL signature
The SSC CGL 2026 notice asks for the signature as a JPEG of 10 to 20 KB, about 6.0 × 2.0 cm. Compressing a whole phone photo of your signature to 20 KB keeps far more pixels than a 6 × 2 cm strip needs. Crop to the ink and resize it first; then a 20 KB ceiling is easy and the 10 KB floor is the thing to watch. A 20 KB file from this page is inside that range.
IBPS photograph
The same IBPS guidelines ask for a photograph of 200 × 230 pixels (preferred), 20 to 50 KB. A file compressed to 20 KB sits on the photo's lower limit. If the portal counts 1 KB as 1,024 bytes, anything under 20,480 bytes is refused, so aim for 25 to 40 KB for the IBPS photo instead. A file compressed to 20 KB can fall below that minimum; check the size in the results panel before you submit.
20 KB in numbers
Worked out from the byte limit, and from what this page produced with our test files.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Byte limit used by this page | 20,000 |
| Same limit if a site counts 1 KB = 1,024 bytes | 20,480 |
| Compression needed for a 12 MP photo kept at full size | about 1,829:1 (36.3 MB of raw pixels into 20 KB) |
| Largest uncompressed square that fits | 81 × 81 pixels |
| Our photo-style test image (4032 × 3024), JPG | 1505 × 1128, 19.4 KB |
| Our scan-style A4 test page, JPG: pixels per inch of paper | about 58 pixels per inch (480 pixels across 8.27 inches) |
Sources: IBPS, "Online registration guidelines (photograph and signature scan)" (https://ibpsreg.ibps.in/); Staff Selection Commission, "Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026 notice, para 9.6" (https://ssc.gov.in/api/attachment/uploads/masterData/NoticeBoards/Notice_of_adv_cgl_2025.pdf). Checked 2026-10-16. Portal rules change between recruitment cycles and releases; the notice or help page for your own upload has the final say.
How to get an image under 20 KB
Add the original
Use the largest, cleanest copy you have. Compressing a file that was already squeezed by a chat app loses detail twice.
Keep the strategy on Auto
Auto lowers the quality first and reduces the pixel size only when quality alone cannot reach 20 KB. "Quality first" never reduces the dimensions and stops with a message instead; "Size first" shrinks the image sooner and keeps more quality per pixel.
Choose JPG or WebP
JPG is accepted by every form. WebP can keep more pixels in the same budget, but only use it when the site lists WebP as allowed.
Check the result
The results panel shows the final pixel size and KB. Zoom in on faces and small text before uploading.
What this page produced from our test files
We ran three fixed test files through this page in headless Chrome 129.0.6668.29 on 2026-10-19, with the default Auto strategy. Sizes are the bytes of the downloaded files. The test files are generated from a fixed seed so anyone can repeat the run; they are not customer photos.
| Test file | Format | Output pixels | File size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo-style test image, 4032 × 3024 JPG (2.57 MB) | JPG | 1505 × 1128 | 19.4 KB |
| Photo-style test image, 4032 × 3024 JPG (2.57 MB) | WEBP | 2090 × 1567 | 19.5 KB |
| Screenshot-style test image, 1920 × 1080 PNG (24.3 KB) | JPG | 995 × 560 | 19.4 KB |
| Screenshot-style test image, 1920 × 1080 PNG (24.3 KB) | WEBP | 1920 × 1080 | 7.7 KB |
| Scan-style A4 test page, 2480 × 3508 JPG (3.4 MB) | JPG | 480 × 679 | 18.6 KB |
| Scan-style A4 test page, 2480 × 3508 JPG (3.4 MB) | WEBP | 346 × 489 | 19.4 KB |
Before you upload a 20 KB file
- A 20 KB limit is meant for a signature or a passport-size face, not a whole scene. Crop to the ink or the head first so the few bytes go to what the examiner looks at.
- Our scan-style A4 test page had to drop to 480 pixels across, about 58 pixels per inch of paper. Small print in a scanned document becomes hard to read at that density; compress a crop of the important part, or use a larger target if the portal allows it.
- The 1920 × 1080 screenshot-style test image fitted at full size as WEBP, because flat colours and sharp edges compress far better than photos.
Frequently asked questions
Does 20 KB mean 1,000 or 1,024 bytes per KB?
Sites use both. This page stays at or below 20,000 bytes, which is under both readings, so the file passes either way.
How large can a photo be at 20 KB?
In our test a 12 MP photo-style image came out at 1505 × 1128 pixels as JPG and 2090 × 1567 as WebP. Busy, noisy photos need more bytes per pixel than plain ones, so your result can be larger or smaller.
Next steps for your 20 KB file
Related image tools
Check the destination requirement
Upload rules change between services. MAXScanner prepares the file you request, but the receiving form or service is authoritative for its current pixel, format and byte limits.