Three ways to resize
- By pixels: type a width, and the height follows to keep the shape. Untick Keep proportions to set both freely; the picture will stretch to fill.
- By percent: slide to 50% to halve both sides. The new size in pixels is shown next to the slider.
- By cm (print): enter centimetres and print quality. The photo is cropped from the centre so it fills the size without stretching.
Pixels, centimetres and DPI
A centimetre on paper becomes a different number of pixels depending on print quality, measured in DPI (dots per inch). One inch is 2.54 cm.
| Size on paper | At 150 DPI | At 300 DPI |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cm | 59 px | 118 px |
| 3.5 × 4.5 cm (passport photo) | 207 × 266 px | 413 × 531 px |
| 2 × 2 inch (5.1 × 5.1 cm) | 300 × 300 px | 600 × 600 px |
| A4 page (21 × 29.7 cm) | 1240 × 1754 px | 2480 × 3508 px |
Pick 300 DPI for anything you will print, and 150 or 72 when the image only needs to look right on a screen.
Common sizes people need
| Use | Size in pixels |
|---|---|
| Instagram square post | 1080 × 1080 |
| Instagram portrait post | 1080 × 1350 |
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280 × 720 |
| WhatsApp profile photo | 500 × 500 or larger, square |
| Full HD wallpaper | 1920 × 1080 |
Social networks change their recommendations from time to time, so treat these as good starting points.
Resizing and file size
Fewer pixels usually mean a smaller file, but not a specific KB number. If you need both a pixel size and a KB limit, resize here and then use Compress Image, or do both at once in the Photo & Signature Resizer.
Making images bigger
You can enlarge an image, but no tool can add detail that was never captured. A 400-pixel photo stretched to 2000 pixels will look soft. If you need a large print, start from the original photo from your camera or phone, not one downloaded from WhatsApp, which compresses images heavily.
Questions people ask
Can I make an image bigger?
Yes, but it cannot add detail that was not there. Large increases look soft.
Does resizing change the format?
It keeps the original format unless you choose another under Save as.
Why is my resized photo cropped in cm mode?
To fill an exact paper size without stretching your face, the photo is trimmed evenly from the edges. Use Crop Image first if you want to choose what is kept.
Is my image uploaded?
No. Resizing happens in your browser.