How to Make a Photo Smaller With Less KB

By Amy Scott

i Burke/Triolo Productions/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Photo files can be very large, which can make them unwieldy for sending via email or for loading on a website. Resizing these photos will reduce the file size, which is often measured in kilobytes (KB), to make them easier to use and share. This resizing can be done easily with a photo-editing program such as ACDSee, Photoshop or GIMP, or with a simple photo-resizing program, such as Resize 'Em All.

Using Photoshop

Step 1

Open the photo in the Photoshop program.

Step 2

Click "Image" in the program menu at the top of the window, then select the "Image Size" option from the drop-down menu.

Step 3

Edit the number in the "Width" field in the "Pixel Dimensions" section to a lower value. The "Height" field will adjust automatically to scale the image. Click "OK" to save the changes.

Step 4

Click "File" in the program menu, then select "Save" to save the smaller photo to your computer.

Using GIMP

Step 1

Open the photo in the GIMP program.

Step 2

Click "Image" in the program menu, then click "Scale Image" from the drop-down menu.

Step 3

Locate the "Width" field in the "Image Size" section. Set the number to a lower value. The "Height" field will automatically set to maintain the image's scale. Click "Scale" to save the changes.

Step 4

Click "File" in the program menu and select "Save" to save the resized photo to your computer.

Using Resize 'Em All

Step 1

Open the photo in the Resize 'Em All program.

Step 2

Set the number in the "Width" text field in the sidebar to a lower value. Make sure the "Proportionally" option has a check mark beside it.

Step 3

Click "Apply Dimensions" to resize the photo. Click "Save" to save the resized photo to your computer.

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