Small resoluation images have larger file size

  • Resolved Jonathon Leathers

    (@jtleathers)


    9 years, 7 months ago

    I’ve got Picturefill on a site I’m building right now so I have created multiple image sizes using add_image_size but I’m noticing that the file sizes for the images WordPress creates are larger than the original image. Here is an example:

    Original image: 1322 x 800 (129kb)
    Custom size: 1046 x 696 (242kb)

    This isn’t just for the custom sizes in my functions file but also for the “Large size” that WordPress creates by default:

    Large size: 1024 x 681 (235kb)

    I have no idea why WordPress is creating smaller resolution images with larger file sizes or how to stop it from doing so since that completely defeats the purpose of why I am creating smaller resolution images.

    Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    Volunteer Moderator

    9 years, 7 months ago

    WordPress actually uses ImageMagick or GD, depending on whichever is installed on your server, to process the resized images.

    If I had to guess, I’d say that ImageMagick or GD on your server is set to save at maximum quality, which almost always (even on desktop image editors) leads to larger files than the original because of some mathematical algorithm that I don’t quite understand but really feel like it’s wrong somehow. 🙂

    You can usually get by just fine with 80% quality, but you’ll need to contact your hosting provider to make the change. If you’re on a shared hosting plan, such a change will affect everyone on the server, so it’s understandable if they’re unwilling to do so.

    Thread Starter Jonathon Leathers

    (@jtleathers)

    9 years, 7 months ago

    Thanks for the reply. The more I played around with it I figured it must be that it just saves at maximum quality but this explains it even further. Thanks!

    Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    Volunteer Moderator

    9 years, 7 months ago

    You’re welcome!

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
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