Compress a Photo Down to 20 KB

A 20 KB limit is one of the tightest file size requirements you'll run into, and it usually comes from older or very strict systems: certain visa and immigration photo upload portals, some government ID and exam registration systems, and legacy forms built years ago that were never updated for modern camera file sizes.

This page opens Downscale Image with the file-size target pre-set to 20 KB, so you don't have to configure anything — just upload your photo and the tool automatically finds the quality and resolution combination that gets as close to 20 KB as possible.

20 KB is small enough that getting there almost always requires reducing the image's resolution significantly, not just lowering JPEG quality. For a simple headshot-style photo this usually still looks reasonable; for a highly detailed, high-resolution photo, expect a noticeably softer result, since there just isn't much room left for detail at that size.

As with every tool on this site, your photo is compressed locally on your device. Nothing is uploaded to a server, which matters for ID-style photos containing personal information.

Getting a photo under 20 KB takes one upload, no manual tweaking:

1. Upload your image
   Drag and drop an image, or select one or more files from your phone or computer.

2. The 20 KB target is already set
   This page opens with the file-size target pre-set to 20 KB, so there's nothing to configure.

3. Check the resulting size
   Downscale Image shows you the exact output file size, so you can confirm it meets the limit before you rely on it.

4. Download
   Save the compressed photo, ready to upload wherever the 20 KB limit applies.

If 20 KB turns out to be tighter than your form actually requires, check whether it accepts something like 50 KB or 100 KB instead — those targets preserve noticeably more detail.

Everything runs locally in your browser — your images never leave your device, so there's nothing to wait on and nothing to worry about.