Step-by-Step Instructions for Resizing an Image to Send via Email

How to downsize a large image on a Windows or Mac computer

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
  • University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Updated on April 12, 2020

Email providers generally restrict the amount of data a single message can include. For this reason, trying to email a large image file can result in an error message. The solution is to make the image smaller and thus reduce the email's data footprint. Here are a few image resizers that can help you quickly edit a photo's size for email.

As an alternative to sending a large image as an attachment, you can use a free image hosting site to store it online. Just include a link in your email so that the recipient can view the image in their browser.

How to Resize Pictures for Email With Image Resizer for Windows

Image Resizer for Windows is free to download. To downsize a large image using the application in Windows:

  1. Download and install Image Resizer for Windows.

  2. Right-click on one or more picture files on your computer.

  3. Select Resize pictures from the menu that appears.

    Select Resize pictures from the menu that appears.

  4. Select one of the preconfigured sizes, or indicate a custom size and enter the desired dimensions.

    Select one of the preconfigured sizes, or indicate a custom size and enter the desired dimensions.

  5. Select Resize.

How to Resize Images for Email Using Preview on a Mac

The Preview application ships on every Mac computer. To downsize a photo on your Mac:

  1. Launch Preview.

  2. Drag-and-drop the image you want to resize onto the Preview icon.

  3. Click View > Show Markup Toolbar.

    Preview View > Show Markup Toolbar

    You can also open the markup toolbar with the keyboard shortcut Command+Shift+A.

  4. Click the Adjust Size button on the markup toolbar. It resembles a box with two outward-facing arrows.

    Preview > Adjust Size

  5. Choose one of the smaller sizes from the Fit Into drop-down menu, or select Custom and enter the dimensions you prefer.

    Preview Adjust Size > Image Dimensions

    When entering custom dimensions, make sure Scale proportionally is checked to maintain the original proportions.

  6. Click OK to save the change.

Online Image Resizers

In addition to these solutions, online image resizing tools offer similar features. Check out the following resources:

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