Using an Image Optimiser (Optimizer) to further reduce image download times.

To many web builders, image optimisation means using an App or web service to run a process on an image to reduce it's size in Kb without reducing the quality of the image, when viewed on a screen.

What's the best way to Optimise my web images?

Image optimisers can be web services where you may have to tolerate some advertising while using them, or they can be free Apps, with or without advertising or Apps that come with sounds, filters, often, bold claims. These can be quite expensive as a one off purchase or even an ongoing monthly cost.

One other options exists which is for CDN serving of optimised images which also involves addional costs.

There is however, one stand out Image Optimiser IMHO - SQUOOSH APP.

Introducing SQUOOSH APP created by Google

Squoosh started as beta test image optimiser created a few years ago, by Google, who also created the webP image format. Whether you like Google or not, they only have one interest in creating SQUOOSH APP, which is to make images smaller, so they download quicker, which is in everyone's best interest. There is no advertising. Best of all, SQUOOSH APP is free for any developers to use to build their own app with. Using the SQUOOSH APP web service will guarantee you are using the latest version of SQUOOSH.

What's so good about SQUOOSH APP

  • It is FREE and has no advertising
  • Created by the same folk who created the webP format
  • Has a multitue of options, but the defaults are ideal and don't need any adjustment for most users
  • Can compress the common JPG and PNG into significantly smaller JPG, PNG and webP formats. Drag an image in, then save the compressed image to a local folder.
  • Uses a side by side comparrison that allows you to see, or rather not see, any drop in quality in the image, for the amount of compression selected
  • The reduced size in Kb and the % of reduction is shown for each image

What can SQUOOSH APP do, that can't be done elsewhere?

  • SQUOOSH has a powerful image resizer. Unique to SQUOOSH, is that the resizing and then optimisation, are carried out in just 1 stage. This means the image is opened and then saved only once. Remember that each time you open a JPGimage, adjust and save, the image quality gets reduced at each save stage.

What's the workflow?

Visit SQUOOSH APP and bookmark or save the link somewhere. Open and then drag an image onto SQUOOSH APP. From experience, I would say the default 75% setting is good to use. If resizing, then be aware that there is an option to maintain aspect ratio. Then click the type of compressed image you want to compress to, such as JPG, PNG or webP.

Any SQUOOSH APP tips?

If possible start with a PNG image version if you are creating an image. Always use the original image at full size if you are resizing and compressing multiple image types. Don't for example use the compressed JPG image to drag into Squoosh to create a webP version. Also when comparing the original image with the level of optimisation to be applied, always do this at the Actual SIze (use cmd-O).

What's not so good about SQUOOSH APP

Nothing really. It lacks a bulk processing mode, to process more than 1 image at a time, but I do hope that that will come in time from Google or maybe as an App created by a smart developer.

WebP Image Tester

Check out our webP image test page.