Large images are the single biggest cause of slow websites and excessive hosting storage usage. This guide will show you how to get your files under the 100KB target while maintaining great visual quality, using a simple two-step approach.
1. 🥇 Pre-Upload Optimisation (Your Best Defense)
The single most effective way to manage file size is to optimize the image before it ever touches your website. This is essential for getting those camera or scanner-sized files (often in the multi-megabyte range) down to the 100KB target.
Step-by-Step for New Images
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Use the Right Dimensions: Before compressing, resize the image to the largest size you actually need on your website. For example, if your main blog content area is 900 pixels wide, resizing a 5000-pixel-wide photo down to 900-1200 pixels wide will instantly save 80%+ of the file size without any quality loss on your site.
– Tools: Use software like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP (free), or even your computer’s basic image editor (Preview on Mac, Photos/Paint on Windows). -
Optimise the File: Use a specialised tool for lossy compression. This process intelligently removes non-essential image data to shrink the file size, often with no noticeable change in visual quality. The goal is to get the file under 100KB.
– Recommended Online Tools:
– TinyPNG / TinyJPG: Extremely popular for excellent quality and high compression ratios.
– Compress to Go: A reliable alternative with good controls.
– Shrink.media or iLoveIMG: Offer simple, focused compression. -
Upload to WordPress: Once your image is correctly sized (e.g., 900px wide) and compressed (e.g., 85KB), you can upload it to your WordPress Media Library.
2. ⚙️ Smart On-Site Compression (Avoiding Duplicates)
Most WordPress systems and plugins keep the original, large file (which may be 5MB) and then create smaller, compressed versions of the various thumbnail sizes your site needs. This quickly eats up space.
To solve this, we need a plugin that will compress the original uploaded file and, critically, delete the original uncompressed file (or at least replace it with the compressed version) to save maximum space.
Recommended WordPress Plugins
While Smush is a popular option, its free version generally uses lossless compression and often keeps the original file. For maximum space savings and to replace the original file, we recommend a plugin like ShortPixel or EWWW Image Optimizer, which offer more robust options to manage or replace the original file.
| Plugin | Key Feature for Storage | Bulk Cleanup Available? | Free/Paid |
| ShortPixel | Highly effective compression and has settings to remove/replace the original file after optimisation. | Yes | Free trial (100 credits/month); Paid plans. |
| EWWW Image Optimizer | Comprehensive, offers to delete original files after upload and handles both on-site and cloud compression. | Yes | Free; Paid cloud plans. |
| Imagify | A popular premium option with excellent compression and bulk optimisation features. | Yes | Free trial (20MB/month); Paid plans. |
3. 🧹 Step-by-Step: Bulk Clean Up & Compression
If you have a large amount of files currently overloading your server, you need a bulk optimisation method. This process will compress your existing images and, depending on the plugin settings, resize them and replace the original file.
⚠️ WARNING: ALWAYS TAKE A FULL WEBSITE BACKUP BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH BULK IMAGE OPTIMISATION. This process permanently changes files.
Step 1: Install and Configure a Bulk Optimiser
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Log into your WordPress dashboard.
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Go to Plugins > Add New.
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Search for and install one of the recommended plugins above (e.g., ShortPixel or EWWW Image Optimiser).
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Activate the plugin and follow any on-screen prompts to register for a free/paid API key.
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Crucial Setting Check: Navigate to the plugin’s settings page and look for options related to Original Images.
– ShortPixel: Under the main settings, look for the option that controls whether backups of the original image are kept. For maximum space saving, uncheck/disable the setting to keep original backups.
– EWWW Image Optimiser: This plugin has settings to help delete the unscaled original image created by WordPress Core.
Step 2: Run the Bulk Optimisation
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Locate the bulk optimisation tool within your chosen plugin. This is typically under Media or a dedicated Optimisation menu item in your WordPress dashboard.
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Click the “Start Bulk Optimisation” or similar button.
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Allow the tool to run. This process can take a long time (hours) if you have thousands of images. Do not navigate away from the page unless the plugin specifically tells you it runs in the background.
Step 3: Verify and Reclaim Space
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Once complete, the plugin will show you your Total Space Saved.
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You should also check your server storage usage directly to see the reduction.
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Crucial Note on Re-Linking: Since you are using a quality plugin that integrates with the WordPress Media Library, you do not need to manually re-link the images. The plugin replaces the files in the background, and all your posts and pages will automatically display the newly optimised, small-sized images.
By combining disciplined pre-upload optimisation with a powerful bulk cleanup plugin configured to avoid keeping original files, you will successfully reduce your server usage and speed up your site!
