Compress Photo Collections Safely

Preserve a master archive

Keep original files in a separate, backed-up location. Work from duplicates and export into a new folder. Lossy formats discard information, and that missing detail cannot be restored by saving again.

Use representative test photos

Test a portrait, a dark scene, fine foliage, and a smooth sky. These reveal different artifacts. Choose a setting that is acceptable across the set instead of optimizing only the easiest image.

Process manageable groups

Browser tools rely on device memory, so split very large collections into smaller batches. Review thumbnails and several full-size results, confirm filenames, then download the ZIP. Delete or replace files only after verifying the archive.