# Compress image to 20 KB

> Shrink a photo or scanned signature to under 20 KB for online applications. Best quality that fits, done in your browser. No upload.

URL: https://tools.cuelark.com/compress-image-to-20kb
Publisher: Cuelark Team (https://cuelark.com)
Updated: 2026-11-02
Price: free, no sign-up
Privacy: runs in the browser; files are not uploaded

Drop a photo or a scanned signature and get a JPG under 20 KB. At this size the tool also reduces the pixel dimensions, because quality alone cannot get there cleanly.

## How to use it

1. Drop the photo or signature scan; the target is 20 KB.
2. Set Max width if the form gives one.
3. Download the JPG.

## Details

- **Target:** ≤ 20 KB (20,480 bytes)
- **Common uses:** Exam application and visa portals that set separate caps for photo and signature, ID card systems, school admission forms
- **Pixel size:** Photos are scaled down to roughly 1,000 px wide or less; signatures on white paper stay sharper
- **Output:** JPG (or WebP)

## Questions

### Are my files uploaded?

No. The page loads its code once, then reads and processes your files inside the browser tab. Nothing is sent to a server; you can confirm it in your browser's network panel while a file converts.

### Why is my signature blurry?

Phone photos of signatures carry shadows and paper texture that cost bytes. Crop tightly to the signature before compressing, and photograph it in even light on white paper.

### The portal wants the photo under 20 KB and the signature under 10 KB.

Compress them separately: the photo here at 20 KB, then set a custom target of 10 for the signature. Crop both first so the bytes go to the face and the ink, not the background.

### Can I get under 10 KB?

Yes. Type 10 in the custom target field. Expect a small image, a few hundred pixels wide for a typical photo.

## Related tools

- [Compress image to 50 KB](https://tools.cuelark.com/compress-image-to-50kb)
- [Compress image](https://tools.cuelark.com/compress-image)
- [Compress image to 100 KB](https://tools.cuelark.com/compress-image-to-100kb)
- [PNG to JPG](https://tools.cuelark.com/png-to-jpg)

## Guides

- [How to compress a photo to under 100 KB for online forms (without it looking awful)](https://tools.cuelark.com/guides/compress-photo-to-100kb)