Image Optimization
Image Compression Quality Settings: A Practical Starting Point
Choose a sensible JPG or WebP quality setting for photos, product images, thumbnails, and text-heavy graphics.
Short answer
Start around 80 to 85 for general photos, then lower the value while checking edges, gradients, faces, and text. Quality numbers are not directly comparable across every format or encoder.
Key takeaways
- Use quality as a starting point, not a guarantee.
- Text and product labels usually need more care than soft backgrounds.
- Resize before applying heavy compression.
- Review both appearance and final file size.
Suggested starting ranges
These ranges are practical starting points. Image content and export format can change the result significantly.
| Use | Starting range | Check closely |
|---|---|---|
| General web photo | 75-85 | Skin, texture, gradients |
| Product image | 80-90 | Edges, labels, color |
| Small thumbnail | 65-80 | Recognizable subject |
| Text-heavy graphic | 85-95 or PNG | Small letters and sharp lines |
What compression damage looks like
Watch for block patterns, ringing around sharp edges, banding in gradients, and smeared fine detail. These artifacts often appear first around text and high-contrast boundaries.
When quality alone is not enough
If a file remains too large at an acceptable quality, reduce pixel dimensions or use a more suitable format instead of forcing the quality lower.
Official references
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