How do I resize an image is a question often asked. Clicking and dragging is not the answer! I'm delighted to be able to share with you the correct way to resize - and it's really not difficult at all. With these simple steps your images will look better and your website or eBook will download much quicker too.

First let me explain the difference between clicking and dragging and resizing correctly:

What clicking and dragging actually does is it changes the physical dimensions of the image i.e. cms - it doesn't change the actual file size, which is what we really want to do.
Resizing changes the file size of your image - you will see the difference very soon.

Here's some info about online file sizes to help you understand what we are about to do

1000 Kilobytes = 1 Megabyte (a megabyte is quite big!)
1000 Megabytes = 1 Gigabyte (a gigabyte is very big!)

There is no ideal size for an image - as speeds and broadbands vary - but I would recommend a file size of about 50-90 kilobytes. Keep them as small as possible but not so small as to affect the overall quality.

A note of caution - too many large images on your website, or indeed in your eBook, and they could take forever to download, if at all - your viewer may get bored and move on! So, from now on, we will get into the habit of always checking the file size of an image before we use it - to avoid any problems later. It will be time well spent.

Here's how to find out what the current file size of your image is - and - what we will need to resize an image

Right click on the image and go to Properties. Try it now! Note the file size.
Irfanview is by far the most popular software used for resizing - and the great news is it's free to download. Go to http://www.irfanview.com and download it now.

Now before we begin find an image of say 1.2 Megabytes in size or similar. Find one now! Your desktop is usually a good place to look - I'll bet most of your existing images are big!

Let's resize an image now

• Double click on the irfanview icon on your desktop to open it.
• Under the word File (top left), you will see an open yellow folder - click on that.
• Find the image that you want to resize and click on it.
• The image will open up in your irfanview screen.
• Now click on the Image option - you will find this along the top row where File is.
• Click on Resize/Resample (about half ways down) - a new box will open to Set New Size.
• Ensure - Preserve Aspect Ratio box (below) is ticked - then when you change the height the width will automatically change too. Keep DPI at 300.
• Now change the Height to say 300 - note the Width changes too.
• Then click Ok and see what happens to your image. Cool!
• Now go to File and Save as - Important, ensure the Save as type box has JPG format in it. If it doesn't go to the drop down menu and choose jpg format.
• By saving it in jpg format this will allow a box to open (top right) called JPEG/GIF save options. You can change the quality of the image to your preference here.
• Now save your resized image in the same folder as the original - but give it a new name, to keep the original in tact.
• Close irfanview. Find your original image and the newly resized image.
• Note the different sizes of each - your new image will be considerably smaller.
• It should now read kilobytes and not megabytes.

And Viola! You have just resized an image without clicking and dragging! Well Done!

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