How to Resize an Image Without Losing Quality

Resizing images is useful in many situations, whether to optimize images for the web, save storage space, or prepare an image for printing. However, images often lose quality and appear distorted or pixelated. In this article, we will guide you step by step on how to reduce the size of your images or enlarge them without losing quality.

Read more: How to Convert Images to Vector Graphics

Why Change the Size of an Image?

Changing the size of an image is essential in many fields. The size of the image greatly affects its quality, loading time, and display. Smaller images load faster, require less storage space, and are ideal for websites, while larger images are needed for high-quality printing.

How Do I Determine the Size of an Image?

Right-click on the image file and select “Properties” from the context menu. In the “Details” section, you will find the exact dimensions and file size of the image.

You can also open the image in a photo editing program and view the size usually under “Image Information.”

Windows provides simple tools that allow you to edit images quickly and easily. Paint has been a tried and tested method for compressing images for many years. Here’s how to resize an image using Paint:

1. Open your image in Paint by right-clicking on the file and selecting “Open with” then “Paint.”
2. Go to “Resize” in the top menu bar.
3. Here, you can adjust the dimensions either in pixels or percentage. If you want to change the pixel units in the image, simply enter the desired pixel values.
4. Select “OK” to save the changes and save the file using “File” > “Save As.”

TIP: Make sure to maintain the aspect ratio by filling in the blue chain icon between the pixel specifications. This preserves the width-to-height ratio and prevents distortion of the image due to resizing.

Compress Images with Freeware

For more advanced functions and better control over image quality, it is recommended to use freeware programs like GIMP or Paint.net. These tools allow you to make more complex adjustments to the image size. Using GIMP as an example, the process looks like this:

1. Open your image in GIMP.
2. Click on the “Scale” icon in the tool window or select “Tools” > “Transformations” > “Scale” from the menu.
3. Here, you can make precise adjustments to the image size, change the resolution, or enhance the image for specific purposes.
4. Save the image in the desired format to preserve the changes.

Change Image Size Online, Quick Solutions

As a third option, you can use online tools like resizeimage.net or iloveimg.com to enlarge or shrink the image size. Many of these tools offer basic settings (percentage or pixel specifications) similar to Paint. Here’s how they work:

1. Open the online tool in your web browser.
2. Upload your image and select the desired dimensions or pixel values.
3. Download the modified image.

What Happens When I Enlarge or Compress an Image?

When you enlarge an image, it may become blurry and unclear due to stretching the original image data. On the other hand, compressing images removes details to reduce file size, which may result in image quality loss. Therefore, you should always save images at a resolution suitable for the intended use.

Enlarging Images Without Losing Quality, Is It Possible?

Yes, there are tools that use artificial intelligence to enlarge images without significant loss of image quality. Two tools in particular stand out: BigJPG and AI Image Enlarger, both free and user-friendly.

BigJPG

BigJPG is a practical tool available in the browser and as a Windows app. The user interface is simple and intuitive. Just drag and drop the images, and you’re ready to go. The free version allows you to edit two images simultaneously, perfect for daily use.

Before starting the enlargement process, you can adjust some parameters. This includes choosing the image type (artwork or photo), the enlargement factor (2x or 4x), and noise reduction. BigJPG delivers excellent results, especially with large images, although there can be occasional difficulties with AI processing with very small images. The paid version of the tool offers higher ranges and more features.

AI Image Enlarger

AI Image Enlarger is another powerful web application that allows you to enlarge images easily and efficiently. You can select the image either by “Select Image” or by drag and drop. You can then choose between double or quadruple resolution.

The artificial intelligence enhances the image during the enlargement process and ensures surprisingly good results. Details and borders of personal images appear particularly sharp and clear, although minor errors can creep into very fine elements like hair.

Change Image Size on the Smartphone

There are many apps on mobile devices that allow you to change the size of images, such as PicsArt or the Image Size app. These apps provide simple interfaces for editing images and resizing image dimensions.