Image compression for WordPress users

While WordPress automatically resizes and generates several versions of uploaded images, it may not always fully optimize them for web use, especially for the original, full-size image. Many users still need to compress images before uploading to further improve website performance and reduce file sizes.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• WordPress's Role:

  WordPress handles resizing images into different sizes (thumbnail, medium, large) upon upload. It also applies a default level of JPEG compression (usually 90) to these resized images.

• Limitations:

  While WordPress handles resizing and some compression, it may not fully optimize the original, full-size image, especially for images smaller than 1MB.

• Why it's important to compress:

  Compressing images before upload helps reduce file sizes, leading to faster loading times and improved website performance. This is particularly important for high-resolution images or when dealing with a large number of images on a site.

• How to compress:

  • Online tools: Websites like TinyPNG, TinyJPG and Shrink-images.org offer free online tools to compress images before uploading.
  • WordPress plugins: Plugins like ShortPixel, Smush, and Imagify can automate image compression on upload and optimize existing images.
  • Manual compression: You can also use image editing software to manually compress images before uploading.

• When to compress:

  It's generally recommended to compress images before uploading, especially if they are large or need to be optimized for web use.

In summary: WordPress offers some image optimization on upload, but it's often beneficial to compress images further using external tools or plugins to ensure optimal website performance and reduce file sizes.