Best Image Size for Email Attachments (Gmail & Outlook)
Sending photos by email? Here's exactly what size they should be — so they actually arrive.
The Limits You Need to Know
Before we talk ideal sizes, let's talk limits. Every email provider has a cap on attachments:
| Provider | Attachment Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 📧 Gmail | 25 MB | Total for all attachments |
| 📧 Outlook | 20 MB | Microsoft 365 may allow more |
| 📧 Yahoo | 25 MB | Same as Gmail |
| 📧 Corporate | 5-10 MB | Often much stricter |
Pro tip: Corporate and government emails often have 5-10MB limits. When in doubt, keep it small.
The Ideal Image Size for Email
Here's the short answer, based on real-world use:
✅ Recommended
- Dimensions: 1200-1600px wide
- File size: 200KB - 1MB each
- Format: JPG (for photos)
- Quality: 80-85%
❌ Avoid
- Dimensions: 4000px+ (raw camera)
- File size: 5MB+ per image
- Format: PNG for photos
- Quality: 100% (overkill)
A 1400px wide image at 80% JPG quality looks great on any screen and usually weighs 300-500KB. That means you can attach 10-15 photos without hitting Gmail's limit.
How to Resize Images for Email
Open Our Image Resizer
Works in-browser, no downloads needed.
Upload Your Images
Drag and drop multiple photos at once.
Set Max Width to 1400px
This hits the sweet spot for quality vs. size.
Download and Attach
Your images are now email-ready.
JPG vs PNG: Which for Email?
This one's easy:
📷 JPG for Photos
Always. JPG compresses photos beautifully. A 5MB photo becomes 300KB with no visible loss. Perfect for: vacation shots, product images, team photos.
🎨 PNG for Graphics
Use PNG only for logos, screenshots, or graphics with text/sharp edges. But compress them first — raw PNGs are often huge.
Need to convert? Our PNG to JPG converter makes it instant.
Real-World Scenarios
📋 Sending a Resume with Photo
Resize the photo to 400x400px, save as JPG. Total file: ~50KB.
🏠 Real Estate Listing (10 Photos)
Each image at 1400px wide, 80% JPG quality. Total: ~4MB. Fits easily in one email.
👔 Product Photos for Client
5 images at 1600px wide. Total: ~2MB. Room to spare.
📄 Scanned Documents
Convert to PDF instead. Or: grayscale JPG at 150 DPI. Tiny files, readable text.
Quick Cheat Sheet
| Use Case | Recommended Size | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Profile picture | 400×400px | JPG |
| Photos (general) | 1200-1600px wide | JPG |
| Screenshots | 1000px wide | PNG (compressed) |
| Logos | 500px wide | PNG |
| Documents/scans | Convert to PDF |
Get Your Images Email-Ready
Resize or compress in seconds. Free, no signup, works on any device.