How to get an image under 1 MB
- Add the image. The limit is already set to 1 MB and the output to JPG, the format forms accept most often.
- Set the dimensions if the form specifies them (for example 600 × 600 pixels) under Dimensions. Otherwise leave them: Kilomill shrinks the image only if quality alone can’t reach the limit.
- Check the result. Each image shows its exact size in bytes and the quality used. Compare lets you zoom in to make sure faces and text are still clear.
- Download and upload it to the form.
Getting large photos under 1 MB
- Leave the dimensions alone at first. Kilomill tries quality alone, and reduces the size only if needed.
- For a batch of holiday or product photos, set Longest side to 2000–2500 px: that is still sharp on large screens and comfortably under 1 MB.
- HEIC photos from an iPhone are converted to JPG at the same time.
Official upload limits around 1 MB
A few published requirements, taken from the organisations’ own pages. Rules change and differ per application, so always check the instructions of the form you are filling in.
Official upload limits| Upload | Requirement | Source |
|---|
| Canadian passport, online renewal | JPG, 200 KB to 5 MB; 1200 × 1800 to 3000 × 4500 px | Government of Canada, read 21 Oct 2026 |
| Australian visa application (ImmiAccount) attachments | At most 5 MB per file | Department of Home Affairs, read 21 Oct 2026 |
| Gmail attachments (personal accounts) | 25 MB in total; above that Gmail sends a Google Drive link | Gmail Help, read 21 Oct 2026 |
Questions and answers
Is 1 KB 1,000 or 1,024 bytes?
It depends on who you ask: Windows counts 1,024 bytes, macOS and most standards 1,000. Kilomill aims at or below the limit counted as 1,000 bytes per KB, which also passes if the site counts 1,024. For a minimum it does the opposite, so the file passes either way.
What if it can’t reach the size?
With “Keep width and height” ticked, quality alone sometimes isn’t enough; untick it to let Kilomill also reduce the dimensions. If the result is still too large, the image shows a warning and gives you the smallest version it found.
The form also has a minimum size. Can you meet it?
Yes: enter it as the minimum. Kilomill first raises the quality; if the image is still too small at the highest quality, it adds a harmless comment block inside the JPG file to reach the minimum. The picture itself is not changed.
What happens to EXIF data and GPS location?
Every output file is re-encoded from the pixels, so EXIF metadata such as GPS location, camera model and capture time is not copied into it. The photo is turned upright first, so removing the orientation tag does not leave it sideways.
Are my images uploaded to a server?
No. The images are read and compressed by code running in this browser tab, and the results are created in your device’s memory. The images are never sent anywhere, which you can confirm in your browser’s developer tools (Network tab): no request carries them. The only statistics are Cloudflare’s page-visit counts; see Privacy.