Where 1 MB limits come from
1 MB is a common maximum for images uploaded to a university or library website. Three examples, checked October 30, 2026:
- Western University’s web guide asks that no image be greater than 1 MB.
- Fort Hays State’s Cascade training tells editors to compress anything larger than 1 MB before uploading.
- University of San Francisco’s LibGuides best practices ask for optimized images under 1 MB.
Resize first, then compress
A very large photo has to lose a lot of quality to reach 1 MB. Set a width under “Resize” first (for example 1,200 pixels for an image in a page column), and the tool can keep the quality higher. Always check the limit on the site you’re uploading to, since it may differ.
Need a different limit? Try 300 KB, 500 KB, 2 MB or any size.