An upload box says your image must be under 20 KB. Making the picture look smaller on screen or renaming its extension will not meet that rule: the exported file must contain fewer bytes. At this limit, the useful question is whether the final copy is both small enough and still readable. Start with the correct framing, choose a measured size cap and inspect the download.
Read the whole upload requirement before compressing
Write down the allowed format, maximum bytes, minimum bytes if any, pixel dimensions and aspect ratio. A requirement such as 10–20 KB is different from a maximum of 20 KB. PixMinto enforces the upper limit; it does not add padding to satisfy a minimum.
The 20 KB preset uses decimal units: 20,000 bytes. A file manager may round its display or use a different unit convention. Compare the exact result bytes with the destination's rule rather than relying on a rounded size label.
For a signature, remove unnecessary space first
If a signature occupies only a small strip in a large scan, compressing the entire page spends the byte budget on blank margins. Use the crop tool to frame the signature more closely before creating the upload copy. Preserve every stroke; an aggressive crop can cut off part of the signature.
Crop only when the receiving site permits it. If it requires a fixed frame, border or aspect ratio, follow that specification. PixMinto does not certify signatures or determine whether an image meets an application's identity requirements.
Use the image compressor to 20KB
The dedicated page opens with 20 KB selected. You can also choose 20 KB in the general Compress tool. No image upload to a processing server is needed.
Open the 20 KB tool and choose up to five JPG, PNG or WebP images, each within 15 MiB and 40 megapixels.
Confirm that 20 KB is selected. The size-cap mode exports JPG and chooses its compression settings automatically.
Press Compress image · 20 KB. Read both the measured bytes and the result width and height.
Download the JPG and open it at the size in which it will be used. Check handwriting, thin lines or facial features, then try that copy on the destination site.
A measured example: fewer bytes can mean fewer pixels
In a PixMinto browser check, the bundled 1200 × 800 JPG sample was 261,544 bytes. The 20 KB preset produced an 821 × 547 JPG of 19,298 bytes. The file met the byte cap, but its dimensions decreased.
That is one source image and one browser check, not a prediction for your photo. A signature, screenshot and detailed photograph have different content. If the destination requires more pixels than the result retains, a file below 20 KB can still be rejected.
What to do if the result is hard to read
Return to the original rather than repeatedly compressing the downloaded copy. Check whether a closer crop, a clearer scan or a source prepared at the required dimensions would work better. A compressor cannot recover handwriting or detail missing from the source.
If the destination allows 50 KB or 100 KB, use that larger permitted budget. Do not choose 20 KB just because it is the smallest preset. When the destination strictly requires 20 KB, check all its rules before trading away more detail.
Check format, transparency and the actual download
The target-size tool accepts JPG, PNG and WebP and writes JPG. Transparent areas become white. For HEIC, convert the image to JPG first, then compress the converted copy if a byte limit is still needed.
A JPG already within the cap may be kept without re-encoding, including its original metadata. Newly encoded copies omit source EXIF and GPS. Keep the source and check the file you actually plan to submit.
Frequently asked questions
Can I compress a signature to 20 KB without losing quality?+
A strict byte limit can require lossy JPEG compression and fewer pixels. No lossless-quality promise applies. Inspect the signature after download; use a suitable crop and keep the original.
Will the result be exactly 20 KB?+
No. Successful output is at or below 20,000 bytes. The tool does not enlarge or pad a smaller file.
Why did a 19 KB image fail the upload?+
The form may also require a minimum byte size, specific dimensions, a particular aspect ratio or another format. Check its full specification.
Can I use the 20 KB tool on a phone?+
Yes, use the browser tool with JPG, PNG or WebP within its input limits. If the phone photo is HEIC, convert it to JPG first.
Compress to 20 KB
Try the sample first, then process your images. Compare the result and keep the original for future editing.
Compress to 20 KBRelated image guides
This guide is currently available in English. The general HEIC guide is available in 13 languages.