How to Reduce Photo Size on Android (And Why You Should Do It)

If you notice that your Android phone’s memory is filling up quickly, chances are your photos are one of the main reasons. Images captured with your device’s camera can take up a lot of space, especially if you take and save a lot of them. An effective way to free up memory is reduce the file size of your photoswhich is easier than it seems. Next we will tell you how to do this in three ways.

Why is it worth reducing the size of photos?

In addition to freeing up space, reducing the size of your photos offers a number of benefits. Smaller files are easier to upload to websites and apps with size restrictions, making it easier to share and send photos. Plus, with lighter images, you’ll consume less data when transferring them and save time every time you upload and download them.

How to Reduce Photo Size on Android

Reduce the image quality in the camera app.

One of the easiest ways to reduce the size of your photos is to adjust the image quality directly in the camera app. By lowering the resolution, you can reduce file sizes. To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the camera app on your phone.

Step 2: Tap the gear icon to access settings.

Step 3: Find the image quality or resolution option in the photos section and select an option such as “Medium resolution (takes up less space).” You can also choose a low megapixel setting, such as 12MP, if available.

In some models, such as Samsung Galaxy, you can activate the option High-Performance Images V Settings > Advanced Picture Options. This saves photos in HEIF format instead of JPG, which typically reduces file size. However, keep in mind that the HEIF format is not as compatible as JPG and may require conversion if you plan to share images on other devices.

Resizing already saved photos

If you already have photos on your phone, you can reduce their size by resizing them. By resizing, you directly reduce the amount of data stored in the file, which will help you save space.

On some phones, such as Samsung Galaxy phones, you can change the image size in the Gallery app. You just need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Open a photo in Gallery and tap the pencil icon to access editing tools.

Step 2: go to the three-dot menu in the upper right corner, select Resize or Resize and select a lower percentage or resolution.

Step 3: save the image resized.

If your phone doesn’t have this option, you can download apps like Photo & Picture Resizer from the Play Store. This app allows you to select a photo, choose the percentage or resolution you want, and save a new version at a smaller size. Of course, remember that resizing images can change their quality, so you should do some testing to find the appropriate balance between size and visual quality, depending on how you plan to use them.

Compress photos using messaging apps

Many messaging apps, such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, automatically compress photos before sending them. This allows you to quickly share images without taking up too much space or data. You can use this feature to reduce the size of photos on your Android. For example, in WhatsApp, you can use the “Send a message to yourself” feature to compress photos. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Gallery and select the photos you want to compress.

Step 2: Click the Share icon and select WhatsApp.

Step 3: Find your WhatsApp name. If you are not listed, use the search bar and enter your number to find you. You can also select the contact you want to immediately send the compressed photos to.

Step 4: When previewing images to send, make sure the HD option is turned off. Then send photos.

Step 5: finally, open the message, save the compressed photos and delete the original ones.

This method is ideal for quickly reducing the size of multiple photos without installing additional apps. For example, an original 8MB photo can be compressed to around 83KB using WhatsApp compression.