Google has just unveiled a handy online tool to reduce the weight of your images in a few clicks.
Are you looking for a simple and effective way to reduce the weight of your vacation photos before sharing them by email? Google has the solution to your problem. The Mountain View firm has just unveiled an online application allowing you to drastically reduce the weight of your images by applying compression, but also by acting on certain parameters of the latter.
Accessible from any web browser, Squoosh, that’s its name, allows you to view in real time the changes made by your adjustments. In addition, the application remains accessible and functional from your browser, even without an Internet connection, since it has been loaded for the first time on the latter.
1. Import an image
Go to Squoosh from your favorite web browser. Google has done it right and is not only reserving this new tool for its Chrome browser. The webapp can, in fact, be used from Firefox, Safari, Vivaldi or Opera.
Reduce an image with Squoosh
To reduce the weight of a photo, start by importing it into Squoosh using a simple drag and drop, or by clicking on Select an image to go through your file explorer. Be careful, however, Squoosh only supports image formats compatible with the web.
2. Discover the interface
Squoosh natively displays the imported image at 100%. You can decrease the zoom level by acting directly on the dedicated button at the bottom of the screen.
The tool window is divided into two parts. You will notice that an Edit window is displayed on each side. It’s two toolkits each allow you to apply predefined compressions or manual settings.
In the center, the cursor displayed allows you to view, in real time, the modifications made to the image. By moving it, we can easily see the differences between the original image and the compressed image.
3. Apply compression
Before compressing an image, decide how you want to organize your workspace. Natively Squoosh is configured to display the original image on the left, and the edited image on the right.
You can however rearrange the window as you wish, by clicking on the drop-down menu in the Compress section of either toolbox, to select the original image, and the compressed image.
It is also from this drop-down menu that it is possible to select a compression format to apply to your image. With each change you make, Squoosh loads your settings and displays the size of the final file as well as the level of file size reduction.
You can take edits to your image one step further by viewing the advanced settings. To do this, click on Show advanced settings.
Once all your modifications have been made, you can download the modified image by clicking on the dedicated button.