Compress PNG
Shrink PNG screenshots and graphics, keeping transparency.
Drop images
or paste with ⌘V · JPG · PNG · WebP · HEIC · AVIF · SVG, up to 50 at once
No photo handy? Try one of ours.
Logo background remover →Compress PNG examples.
PNG, 256 colors
Compress PNG features.
Color reduction
Reduce to 256, 128, 64 or 32 colors with dithering to smooth gradients.
Transparency kept
Transparent backgrounds stay transparent in the smaller file.
Savings shown
See the percentage saved per file and in total.
Compress PNG, step by step.
01
Add your PNG files
Drag in up to 50 images.
02
Pick the colors
Start with 256. Try fewer for simple graphics.
03
Download
Save one PNG or all of them as a ZIP.
Compress PNG use cases.
- Screenshots and diagrams
- Flat colors and text compress very well.
- Website graphics
- Smaller logos and icons help pages load faster.
Compress PNG: best photos and fixes.
Why PNG photos are huge
PNG stores every pixel exactly, with no loss. That suits screenshots and logos, which have large flat areas, but a photo has millions of slightly different colors that do not compress. A photo saved as PNG can be 10 times the size of the same photo as JPG. If your PNG is a photograph, converting to JPG or WebP shrinks it far more.
What this compression actually does
PNG compression here is lossy. The image is reduced to a palette of 256, 128, 64 or 32 colors, and dithering is used to hide banding. This is a color-reduction technique similar to what well-known PNG shrinkers do. Because fewer distinct colors compress better, screenshots and graphics often come out 50 to 80 percent smaller, with little visible change.
Can PNG be compressed without losing quality
True lossless PNG recompression only squeezes a little. Larger savings need color reduction, which is lossy. At 256 colors most graphics and screenshots look identical to the eye. Gradients, shadows and photos can show banding at 64 or 32 colors. Choose the smallest palette that still looks right when you view the result at full size.
Transparency stays
Soft edges and transparent backgrounds are kept, so a logo can still sit on any page color. Dithering helps keep gradients, glows and anti-aliased edges from turning into stripes. Check the edges against both a light and a dark background if you plan to use the file on a colored page, since reduced colors can make halos easier to see.
When the file does not shrink
Photos and images with many colors gain much less, and a few may not shrink at all. If a result would be bigger than the original in the same format and size, the original is kept and marked Already small. In that case convert the image to JPG or WebP instead, or lower its pixel size with Resize.
Resize for more savings
Pixels matter as much as colors. A 4000-pixel-wide screenshot is rarely needed on a web page. Use Resize with 1920 or 1280 on the long side before compressing and the file drops again. Compressing also removes metadata, and the files stay in your browser, so nothing is uploaded or shared.
Compress PNG FAQ.
How do I compress a PNG without losing quality?
Start with 256 colors. Most screenshots and graphics look the same, though PNG color reduction is technically lossy. Compare against the original before using it.
Does compressing a PNG keep transparency?
Yes. Transparent areas and soft edges are kept.
Why is my PNG so big?
PNG stores every pixel without loss, so photos and large images are heavy. For photos use JPG or WebP, or reduce colors and size.
Why did my PNG not get smaller?
If the result was bigger than the original, the original is kept as Already small. Photos gain least.
How many colors should I choose?
256 for most images. Go down to 128 or 64 for flat logos and icons, and to 32 only for very simple artwork.
Is it free?
Yes. Quick tools are free, need no sign-in and use no credits; your images stay in your browser. The AI tools linked below need an account.
