Image resizing is an important part of the editing process. When dealing with high-resolution photos, this step is always required for several reasons. Making pictures smaller helps us optimize our websites by developing a faster page loading time (which Google loves), it helps us properly adjust pictures for social media requirements or email attachments, as well as save important disk space.
Because it’s an integral part of post-processing, the resize tool is a pretty standard feature when it comes to image editors. In this article we’ve compiled a list of 10 apps for PC users that enable you to easily change photo size.
Photos
No need to hurry and directly jump to a third-party app. Since you’re a Windows user, why not start off with something Microsoft built, i.e. the Photos app. Of course, this is not exactly the most powerful alternative. But, as you’ll see below, it gets the job done in an easy manner. So here’s how you can resize an image on Windows without resorting to other software:
Open the picture in the Photos app and click the More Options button located in the top right corner of the menu. Next select the Resize option and a new window will pop up with four resizing alternatives to choose from: Best for profile pictures and thumbnails (0.25 MP), Best for emails and messages (2 MP), Best for viewing (4 MP) and an option to define custom dimensions for the width and height.
Unfortunately you can’t resize multiple images with this native app, a task which is many times mandatory in order to save time and energy.
PhotoMarks
PhotoMarks is an app that enables you to batch resize images on Windows with ease, which makes it the perfect alternative to streamline your workflow. The tool comes with an easy-to-read interface, designed as a three-step wizard. Just add your photos in the first step, apply the desired edits in the second and select your output format and folder in the third. Afterwards the app will automatically apply your edits to all the added photos.
As far as the resizing process is concerned, PhotoMarks is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is enter the desired new dimensions, expressed in either pixels or percentage, for the width and/or height. You have options to maintain the aspect ratio and not upscale pictures smaller than the specified size. You can further optimize your images by cropping, automatically rotating or converting them (includes support for RAW files). You can also protect your photos with a text or logo watermark or decorate them in an elegant manner with frames and borders.
A cool and useful feature of PhotoMarks is its ability to save your settings as Profiles for later use. This way you won’t have to make the same edits over and over again. Just load one of the Profiles and have the app automatically resize, watermark or perhaps crop your pictures the way you need.
BatchPhoto
BatchPhoto is a photo editor designed with productivity in mind. To help you improve your workflow, the tool comes equipped with a series of useful features. These include the ability to process hundreds of images simultaneously, to save your frequently-used operations and load them in other projects or apply preset edits to your pictures directly from Windows Explorer’s right-click menu.
With BatchPhoto you can perform a wide range of actions, including resizing your photos. The program allows you to quickly change the image size by manually adjusting the width and/or height of your pictures, using either pixels or percentage. At the same time you can resort to an advanced feature, which enables you to also adjust the document size in inches and the DPI resolution.
As mentioned above, BatchPhoto is an image resizer app packed with features. This means that in the same editing session you’ll be able to crop, rotate, watermark, add the date and time to your images, as well as retouch them in numerous ways and apply artistic filters.
Fotosizer
Fotosizer was developed to ensure a fast and effective image resizing process. This Windows tool catches your eye because it is designed to provide multiple modes when it comes to resizing photos: Fit, Stretch, Side, Pad and Crop. This means you can change photo size in various ways: by customizing the width and height in pixels or percentage, by selecting from a multitude of preset sizes, by choosing only one side of the picture or perhaps by adding a padding.
Fotosizer isn’t all about batch resizing. The app also allows you to perform other operations, such as to crop, flip, rotate your photos, as well as apply artistic effects to them. To be more productive, you can save your common operations as profiles and simply use them again in other editing sessions. In general the tool provides the necessary features to optimize your images. The letdown is its interface, which is rather outdated in comparison to other competitors.
Batch Picture Resizer
Batch Picture Resizer is a user-friendly solution to resize images in bulk. The interface is basically divided in two main parts, with the added images in the top section and the available features and a small preview in the bottom section. Once you load your files, all you have to do is click on the Resize tab and start making the desired changes.
Batch Picture Resizer allows you to set specific image dimensions in either pixels or percentage or choose from the multiple preset sizes. You can also change the canvas size. The program provides numerous resizing options: you can preserve the original aspect ratio, select a predefined height, change the width and height to match long sides or resort to smart cropping in order to maintain the width and height but cut out the edges of the photo.
Additionally the tool enables you to convert pictures to a commonly-used image format, to rename, rotate and watermark them and apply some basic effects.
Light Image Resizer
Light Image Resizer is another Windows app that enables you to resize multiple photos at once. The design is not the most exciting, but it’s clear, which means you’ll quickly understand how it works. You can easily resize your photos by manually entering the new dimensions for width and height or by selecting from the wide range of predefined profiles. There are also various resizing modes at your disposal: Fit, Stretch, Center, Extend to Square or Crop.
Don’t be fooled by the name. Light Image Resizer does much more than just reduce the size of your files. With this app you can perform other operations to further optimize and enhance your pictures. The tool gives you the possibility to convert photos to diverse formats, compile a PDF document from multiple images or add a watermark to them. You can also apply several special effects, adjust settings like brightness and contrast, as well as create photo collages to share on social networks.
Icecream Image Resizer
Icecream Image Resizer makes it possible to resize images on Windows in a simple way. The program comes with an intuitive interface, split in two: on the left side you have the images added, while on the right side you have the available options to reduce the size of your files. There’s absolutely nothing confusing regarding the app’s structure, which makes it super easy to use.
Once you’ve added your photos, you can easily resize them by manually entering the new values for width and height. At the same time, Icecream Image Resizer places at your disposal a series of preset sizes for email, mobile or desktop use, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. Before processing, you can see an estimated file size based on the chosen preset. The only other operation you can perform is to add a custom logo to pictures.
RIOT
RIOT is a free image optimizer tool for Windows that can be used as a standalone solution or as a plugin. The program is designed with an easy to use, dual view interface. This means that on one side you can view your original image and on the other side you can see the compressed image in real time.
RIOT offers automatic optimization of the files, which means it will select the most suitable parameters and format, but there’s also a manual mode available. The app gives you the option of resizing your photos by entering the preferred dimensions for width and height and choosing one of the resampling filters. At the same time you can choose to compress your files to a specific size by manually entering the exact file size in kilobytes.
Besides resizing, you can do other stuff as well with RIOT. The app allows you to rotate and flip images or perform basic image adjustments, like changing the brightness, contrast and gamma.
FILEminimizer Pictures
FILEminimizer Pictures is a PC tool which you can trustingly use in order to reduce image size. This program can ensure a file compression by up to 98%, which means you can reduce a 10 MB PNG or jPEG image to a 0.2 MB file. There are four compression modes available: strong, standard, low and custom, which gives you the chance to define your own compression criteria.
The compression process is pretty simple. Once you’ve opened the app, all you have to do is open your photos and hit the Optimize Files button and the program will do the rest. FILEminimizer Pictures offers Facebook integration, which means you can compress your images and directly share them on Facebook. Unfortunately you can’t perform other optimization-related edits and you’ll have to deal with an obsolete design.
FastStone Photo Resizer
FastStone Photo Resizer is a Windows image resizer worth considering if you’re willing to overlook some of its quirks, like the outdated and cluttered interface or the fact that the resize option is not easy accessible.
In order to be able to reduce the size of your photos, you first have to check the Use Advanced Options box, click on Advanced Options and then check the Resize box. Once you’re here, it’s good to know you have multiple resizing options: in pixels, percentage, print size or based on one side. There are also various resampling filters to choose from.
FastStone Photo Resizer places at your disposal several options to further optimize and retouch your pictures. You can batch convert, rename, rotate or crop your photos, as well as add text comments and border effects. The app also gives you the chance to protect your images with a logo watermark and make some basic adjustments to the brightness, contrast, saturation or sharpness.
