How to Resize an Image for Web, Email or Print
Pick the right pixel dimensions for the web, email attachments and printing — and keep it sharp.
'Resize this image' means different things depending on where it's going. Here's how to choose dimensions that actually fit the job.
For websites and screens
Most screens don't need more than 1600-2000 pixels on the long edge, even for a large hero photo — anything bigger just slows the page down without looking any sharper. A percentage resize (say, 50%) is a quick way to shrink a camera photo down to web size while keeping its proportions.
For email attachments
Email limits are usually about file size, not exact pixel dimensions, so pair a modest resize (around 1200-1600px wide) with a reasonable compression quality. Doing both at once, rather than just cranking down quality on a huge image, gives a much better result.
For printing
Print needs more pixels than screens — the more the better for larger prints. If you know the print size and DPI target, use the Image Resizer's 'Original image size' output and pick dimensions to match, rather than relying on a rough percentage.
Keeping proportions correct
Locking the aspect ratio when you resize prevents a photo from looking stretched or squashed — the Image Resizer keeps width and height in proportion automatically unless you deliberately unlock it to force an exact size.
Quick tips
- Resize down, not up — enlarging a small image doesn't add detail, it just makes it blurrier.
- Set the width and let the height follow automatically, or use the percentage slider for quick, proportional resizes.
- Resize before you compress for the smallest, cleanest result.