Keeps transparency and stays a PNG
Palette quantization shrinks the file while keeping the PNG format and its transparency, so flat graphics, screenshots and icons still look crisp.
Compress PNG
Compress PNG online for free. Choose lossy palette quantization or lossless optimization to reduce file size while preserving transparency and sharp edges.
- Keeps transparency and stays a PNG
- Dramatic shrinkage when you want it
- Encrypted upload, automatic cleanup
- Free to start
Choose your file
Drop files here or click to upload
PNG· up to 20.0 MB per file
Files are private and deleted after conversion
Anonymous files: 20 MB. Free accounts: 50 MB and batches of 5. Paid accounts: 200 MB and batches of 100.
Why use this Compress PNG?
Compress PNG online for free. Choose lossy palette quantization or lossless optimization to reduce file size while preserving transparency and sharp edges.
Dramatic shrinkage when you want it
The default lossy palette quantization often cuts PNG size far more than a plain re-save can. Prefer to keep every pixel exact? Flip on the Lossless toggle for a no-quality-loss result — larger, but pixel-perfect. The choice is yours per file.
Encrypted upload, automatic cleanup
Uploads travel over HTTPS, and both the original and optimized PNG are deleted automatically within 24 hours.
Free to start
Anonymous visitors get 1 free server-side compression, and free accounts receive 3 conversions every 30 days.
How to use the Compress PNG
- 01
Upload your PNG
Add the PNG you want to shrink — screenshots, transparent graphics and icons all work well.
- 02
Choose a quality level
By default the tool compresses lossily: palette quantization rebuilds the PNG with a reduced color palette for a much smaller file (default quality 80; lower values shrink it further). Prefer no quality loss? Turn on the Lossless toggle instead — the PNG stays byte-for-byte lossless, though the file will be larger.
- 03
The server requantizes the file
In the default lossy mode the PNG is rebuilt with a reduced color palette to cut its file size sharply; with Lossless on it is re-compressed with no quality loss. Either way the transparency is kept intact.
- 04
Download the optimized PNG
Save the smaller file — it is still a standard PNG and keeps its transparency.
Best source settings for the Compress PNG
Choose settings that match the result you need.
↔ Swipe sideways to view every column.
| Need | Recommended setting | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Quality (1–100, default 80) | Applies in the default lossy mode: the PNG is rebuilt with palette quantization — a reduced color palette that shrinks PNG files dramatically. The default of 80 keeps colors looking close to the original for most graphics; lower values shrink the file further at the cost of some color fidelity. The quality slider is hidden while the Lossless toggle is on. | Applies in the default lossy mode: the PNG is rebuilt with palette quantization — a reduced color palette that shrinks PNG files dramatically. The default of 80 keeps colors looking close to the original for most graphics; lower values shrink the file further at the cost of some color fidelity. The quality slider is hidden while the Lossless toggle is on. |
| Lossless (optional toggle) | Turn on the Lossless toggle to compress the PNG with no quality loss at all — every pixel and color is preserved byte-for-byte. The file is larger than the lossy palette-quantized result, so choose this when color fidelity matters more than size. Leave it off (the default) for the smallest file. | Turn on the Lossless toggle to compress the PNG with no quality loss at all — every pixel and color is preserved byte-for-byte. The file is larger than the lossy palette-quantized result, so choose this when color fidelity matters more than size. Leave it off (the default) for the smallest file. |
- Upload your PNG
- Add the PNG you want to shrink — screenshots, transparent graphics and icons all work well.
- Choose a quality level
- By default the tool compresses lossily: palette quantization rebuilds the PNG with a reduced color palette for a much smaller file (default quality 80; lower values shrink it further). Prefer no quality loss? Turn on the Lossless toggle instead — the PNG stays byte-for-byte lossless, though the file will be larger.
Compress PNG input and output
Review what the tool accepts, how it processes the file, and what it produces.
↔ Swipe sideways to view every column.
| Feature | PNG | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Format | PNG | PNG |
| Processing | Secure cloud processing | Secure cloud processing |
| Result | Compress PNG online for free. Choose lossy palette quantization or lossless optimization to reduce file size while preserving transparency and sharp edges. | Compress PNG online for free. Choose lossy palette quantization or lossless optimization to reduce file size while preserving transparency and sharp edges. |
Where to use files from the Compress PNG
The output is ready for common workflows supported by its format.
- Keeps transparency and stays a PNG
- Palette quantization shrinks the file while keeping the PNG format and its transparency, so flat graphics, screenshots and icons still look crisp.
- Dramatic shrinkage when you want it
- The default lossy palette quantization often cuts PNG size far more than a plain re-save can. Prefer to keep every pixel exact? Flip on the Lossless toggle for a no-quality-loss result — larger, but pixel-perfect. The choice is yours per file.
- Encrypted upload, automatic cleanup
- Uploads travel over HTTPS, and both the original and optimized PNG are deleted automatically within 24 hours.
- Free to start
- Anonymous visitors get 1 free server-side compression, and free accounts receive 3 conversions every 30 days.
About the formats
PNG
PNG is a lossless raster image format created in the mid-1990s as a patent-free replacement for GIF. It is the standard choice for screenshots, logos, UI graphics, and any image that needs transparency.
PNG preserves every pixel exactly and supports a full 8-bit alpha channel, so text and sharp edges stay crisp. The downside is size: photographs saved as PNG are far larger than the same image as JPG or WebP. Support is universal in browsers and editors, making it a safe default for graphics — just avoid it for large photo collections.
Privacy and file handling
This tool uses secure cloud processing for formats or operations browsers cannot handle reliably.
- Secure transfer
- Files are transferred over HTTPS and used only for the requested operation.
- Automatic deletion
- Inputs are removed within 6–24 hours and generated outputs within 24 hours.
- Private downloads
- Results are delivered with expiring signed download links.
Compress PNG troubleshooting
- The colors changed slightly after compression
- That is the trade-off of palette quantization: the image is mapped to fewer colors. Flat UI graphics usually look identical, while photos and subtle tints may shift a little. Raise the quality to keep more colors, or convert photos and gradient-heavy images to WebP with the Image Converter.
- Gradients and shadows show visible banding
- Smooth transitions are the hardest case for a reduced palette. Use a higher quality, or convert gradient-heavy images to WebP with the Image Converter — it handles gradients far better at small sizes.
- My PNG barely shrank
- PNG stores photographic content very inefficiently, so even palette quantization has limited room on photos. Lower the quality for a more aggressive palette, or — if the image is a photo without transparency — convert it to JPG or WebP with the Image Converter for a far bigger reduction.
FAQ
- Does compressing PNG keep transparency?
- Yes. Our compressor preserves the alpha channel so transparent backgrounds and semi-transparent elements remain intact.
- Is the conversion private?
- Yes. Your files are processed securely and deleted after conversion. We never share your photos.
- Is there a file size limit?
- Free accounts can upload files up to 50 MB. Paid users can upload up to 200 MB.
- What's the difference between leaving quality empty and setting a value?
- Leaving it empty gives lossless optimization — the PNG is restructured without changing a single pixel. Setting a quality enables lossy palette quantization, which rebuilds the image with a reduced color palette for much bigger savings.
- Why did the colors shift slightly after compression?
- That's the trade-off of palette quantization: with a quality set, the image is mapped to fewer colors. Raise the quality, or clear it entirely to compress losslessly.
- Why do gradients show banding after compression?
- Smooth transitions are the hardest case for a reduced palette. Use a higher quality, clear it to compress losslessly, or convert to WebP instead — it handles gradients far better at small sizes.
- Can I compress multiple PNGs at once?
- Signed-in users can batch-compress up to 5 files on the free plan and up to 100 on a paid plan, downloaded together as a ZIP.
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Ready to use the Compress PNG?
Compress PNG online for free. Choose lossy palette quantization or lossless optimization to reduce file size while preserving transparency and sharp edges.
Compress PNG