Guides, Tips & How-Tos for Images
Step-by-step guides on converting, compressing, and editing images. No jargon, no fluff, just what works.
Improving Core Web Vitals: Image Optimization for LCP
Largest Contentful Paint is usually a hero image. The conversions and serving tweaks that flip a failing LCP score into a passing one without a full redesign.
All Articles
BMP: The Format That Refuses to Die
BMP is 35 years old, uncompressed, and demanded by a surprising amount of industrial software. Where it lives now and how to handle it gracefully.
GIF in 2026: Still Relevant or Dead?
WebP and APNG do everything GIF does and better. So why are GIFs still everywhere? The honest answer — and when you should still use them.
PDF vs JPG: When to Convert and When to Stay
PDFs are pages; JPGs are images. The decision framework for choosing between them — receipts, portfolios, contracts, scans — with examples.
What Is SVG? When You Should (and Shouldn't) Use It
Vector graphics scale infinitely — until they don't. SVG's real wins, real limits, and how to convert in and out without losing quality you wanted to keep.
WebP vs AVIF: The Modern Image Format War
Both formats target the same web-performance problem. Honest results on file size, browser support, and CDN tooling — plus when to pick each (or both).
TIFF vs JPG: Why Print Shops Still Demand TIFF
Print shops want 16-bit colour, no lossy compression, and embedded ICC profiles — none of which JPG handles well. The history, the workflow, and when JPG actually is fine.
What's the Difference Between JPG and JPEG? (Spoiler: Nothing)
The shortest answer: just a file extension. The longer answer covers why both extensions exist, why Windows used to truncate it, and which one to use in 2026.
Understanding RAW vs JPG: When to Shoot Each
Every camera offers both modes. RAW gives you editing latitude; JPG gives you a finished file. The actual situations where each is the right pick — and why.
What Is HEIC and Why Does My iPhone Use It?
HEIC's compression is genuinely better than JPG — but the rest of the world can't open it. The honest case for and against, plus when to switch your iPhone back to JPG.
JPG vs PNG vs WebP vs AVIF: The Definitive 2026 Comparison
Side-by-side tests on the same 12 MP photo at matched quality. The honest breakdown of file size, transparency, browser support, and when to choose each.
iCloud Full? Slim Your Photo Library in an Afternoon
iCloud's free tier is 5 GB. A 1-year iPhone library fills it. The systematic workflow for converting, archiving, and offloading 10 GB of photos in a single afternoon.
Sending Photos to Insurance Claims: What File Type and Size
Insurance adjusters reject HEIC, demand specific formats, and limit file size per email. The format that always works (and the EXIF data that helps your claim).
WhatsApp's Photo Compression: How to Send Originals
WhatsApp downsamples photos savagely. The 'Document' workaround, the iCloud-link trick, and the right combo of pre-compression so your friends actually see your photo.
Why Is My JPG So Big? 7 Reasons and How to Fix Them
A JPG that should be 2 MB lands at 14 MB — and people are confused. The causes (embedded thumbnails, full-resolution metadata, colour profiles) and the fixes.
Outlook 20 MB Attachment Limit: How to Send Anyway
Outlook is the strictest of the major email clients. Three legitimate workarounds — compress, bundle to PDF, link to a hosted folder — and when each is right.
How to Email Photos to Grandma Without Gmail Saying No
Gmail's 25 MB cap kills photo emails. Here's the right size, format, and number-of-attachments combo that lands every time — and works on a 2010 webmail client too.
Instagram Shop Image Specs: The Hidden Rules
Instagram Shop has stricter rules than regular feed posts — and they're not documented in one place. The complete reference.
Vinted, Depop, Poshmark: Smartphone Photo Optimization for Resellers
All three platforms aggressively recompress uploads. Sending the right pre-compressed version means buyers see what you photographed, not what the platform mangled.
Dropshippers: Bulk Image Conversion for AliExpress Imports
AliExpress source photos come in mixed formats and sizes. The batch-conversion workflow for prepping them for a Shopify or WooCommerce store overnight.
Real Estate MLS Photo Requirements (US, Canada, UK)
Different countries' MLS systems demand different max-pixel counts and orientations. The full table, by region, with what to convert before uploading.
Shopify Product Images: Speed Up Store, Improve Conversion
Page-load time on a Shopify product page directly affects conversion. The image-format and lazy-load tweaks that cut LCP by 600 ms on a real store.
eBay Image Optimization: Why Your Listings Don't Sell
eBay caps photo file size at 12 MB and limits each listing to 24 images. Here's how to maximize each slot — and the WhatsApp-shot mistake most sellers make.
Amazon Seller Central Image Requirements: The Definitive Cheat Sheet
Amazon's image rules are different per category — apparel, books, electronics, grocery all have different minimums. The consolidated reference, with examples of accepted vs rejected images.
Quick Format Guides
Short answers to common image format questions. Part of our full FAQ.
JPG vs PNG: Which Format Should You Use?
When to use each format, file size differences, and what transparency means for your choice.
JPG vs WebP: Size, Quality and Browser Support
WebP is smaller but not universally supported. Here is when that matters and when it does not.
HEIC vs JPG: Apple's Format vs the Standard
Why your iPhone shoots HEIC, what it means for Windows users, and how to convert.
JPG Compression Guide: Quality vs File Size
What quality setting to use, how much size you can save, and when compression hurts your image.
How to Convert JPG to PDF (Including Multi-Page)
Combine multiple JPG images into a single PDF, or convert one image to a shareable document.
RAW to JPG: Converting Camera Raw Files
How to convert NEF, CR2, ARW and other RAW formats to JPG without losing too much quality.