Compression•5 min read
How to Compress Images for Optimal Website Performance
Alex Morgan(Digital Imaging Specialist)
Published January 28, 2025
Updated February 14, 2025Technical Answer
Compress images by pairing proper dimension downscaling with modern formats (like WebP) and targeting a quality level between 75% and 85%. This typically reduces image byte weight by 60% to 80% without noticeable visual artifacts.
The Impact of Image Weight on Core Web Vitals
Images account for over 50% of the total byte weight of average web pages. Heavy uncompressed graphics directly increase Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), leading to bounce rates above 40% on mobile connections.
Google explicitly factors page speed into its search rankings. Minimizing hero image file sizes to under 150 KB allows pages to render instantly above the fold.
Finding the Sweet Spot: Quality vs File Size
Most camera exports save JPGs at 95% to 100% quality, which introduces massive redundant file bloat. Testing demonstrates that lowering quality to 80%-85% reduces file weight by upwards of 70% while remaining visually indistinguishable on standard screens.
Forma provides real-time byte estimates so you can dial in the optimal balance before downloading.
Try It In Forma
Compress Image in Forma
Experience these optimizations live in your browser.