Compress an image to 150 KB

What fits in 150 KB

Generous for an ID photo. A 600 x 600 px portrait keeps skin texture and sharp eyes, which matters for the growing number of systems that compare the uploaded photo against a live capture taken later. At this size you are rarely fighting the encoder at all: an ordinary head-and-shoulders photo reaches 150 KB at a quality setting high enough that the compression is invisible.

Forms that cap uploads at 150 KB

These are real application forms whose own notice sets 150 KB as the maximum, read from the document linked below each figure. Specs change with every notification cycle, so check your own notice before you submit.

Read the ECFMG/ERAS supporting documents (May 2026) notice

Getting the best result at this size

Do not scale down just because the limit lets you - a larger, lightly compressed photo beats a small, heavily compressed one at the same file size, every time. Spend the headroom on resolution rather than on quality settings past about 90%, where extra bytes buy almost nothing the eye can see. If the form states a minimum dimension as well, set that first and let the file size land where it lands.

How the target is reached

The image is saved as a JPG at the highest quality that still fits in 150 KB (counted as 150,000 bytes), found by trying successive quality levels. Only if quality alone cannot get there is the image scaled down, in steps, keeping its proportions. The exact final size and dimensions are shown when it finishes.