What this does
Email is not a photo host. Each attached image is base64-wrapped in MIME, which adds overhead. This page focuses on that path: readable screenshots and photos that will not trip 10MB, 20MB, or 25MB message caps when combined with the rest of the thread.
Size-target pages (20KB, 50KB) solve form validators. Email is about the whole message. You might attach three screenshots. This landing talks about per-image budgets so the message still sends.
People sending product photos, error screenshots, or event pictures through mail instead of a drive link.
Mail gateways still behave like 2005: they scan MIME, rewrite HTML, and drop the hammer at a fixed megabyte cap. They do not care that your phone thinks 4MB is a normal photo.
If the recipient only needs to recognize a face or read an error string, you are done at HD JPEG. If they need to print a poster, email is the wrong channel — send a link.
When to use it
- Outlook warns the message is too large.
- Gmail hangs on send with several photos.
- A client asks for pictures but their mail gateway is strict.
How to
- Convert HEIC if needed. Use HEIC to JPG first for iPhone photos.
- Resize for a screen. Max width 1600–1920px is plenty in mail.
- Compress. JPEG 70–80% is a good email default.
- Attach the downloads. Send the new files, not the camera originals.
Features
- JPEG for photos. Photos belong in JPEG for mail. Keep PNG for UI with text if needed.
- Resize for screens. 1920px is enough for almost any email preview.
- Local files. Confidential screenshots never upload to ToolBay.
Why it helps
- Messages actually send. Stay under gateway limits.
- Recipients can open them. JPEG opens everywhere; HEIC does not.
Use cases
- Client proofing. Send a preview set by mail; keep RAW or HEIC in cloud storage.
- IT tickets. One cropped JPEG of the error beats a 8MB PNG of the entire desktop.
Examples
- Three event photos. Each at 1600px JPEG 75% is often ~200–400KB. Three attachments stay well under common 20MB caps.
Common mistakes
- Attaching original HEIC files. Many Windows users cannot open them, and they are large.
- Sending five uncropped 12MP photos. Crop first, then compress.
Tips
- Budget ~200–400KB per photo if you send several. Use the 50KB page only for tiny signatures.
- Prefer a shared folder for full-resolution sets. Email the compressed previews.
FAQ
- Does compressing here also compress the email on the server?
- No. You create smaller files. Your mail provider still wraps them in MIME.
- Inline image or attachment?
- Both count toward size. Compress either way.