{"id":65373,"date":"2025-04-16T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=65373"},"modified":"2026-08-25T14:21:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T21:21:42","slug":"optimize-images-squoosh-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/optimize-images-squoosh-app\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Optimize Images for the Web Using Squoosh.app"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One oversized hero image can drag an otherwise fast page to a crawl. The fix is rarely exotic: pack that image like a suitcase, so the same contents take up far less space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Squoosh is a free, open-source image compression app from Google\u2019s Chrome Labs that runs right in your browser. Drop in an image, and the Squoosh app lets you resize it, convert it to a modern format like WebP or AVIF, and preview the quality as you shrink the file \u2014 all processed locally, so images never leave your machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\tDreamHost Glossary<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n

Open Source<\/h3>\n

In software development, open source projects are free for anyone to download, use, modify, and distribute. WordPress is one great example of open source software, although it\u2019s far from the only one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In this guide, we\u2019re going to look at how to use Squoosh to compress images and reduce your load times. Let\u2019s get going!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to optimize images with Squoosh in 30 seconds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To optimize an image with Squoosh, you open the app in your browser, add your image, pick an output format and quality, and download the compressed version. Here\u2019s the whole process, step by step:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Open the app:<\/strong> Head over to https:\/\/squoosh.app<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Add your image:<\/strong> Drag an image into Squoosh, or click the upload area shown below and select your file.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"Interface<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Choose your settings:<\/strong> You\u2019ll land on a preview screen with a settings panel. Here, you can choose to resize your image<\/a>, reduce the color palette, change the quality, and select your preferred output file type. A counter shows how much smaller your new file will be.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"Image<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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      1. Compare with the slider:<\/strong> As you try different options, move the slider to compare the original and compressed versions side by side.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Download:<\/strong> Looking good? Use the download button to save your compressed image. It\u2019s ready to add to your website.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Boom, done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"Image<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        Pro Tip:<\/strong> Squoosh is built for comparing codecs, not just squashing files. Compress the same image as WebP and AVIF, adjust each until both look equally good, and keep the smaller file. Just confirm the format works in the browsers your visitors use (AVIF is now supported in all major browsers).<\/p>\n\n

        What is Squoosh?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Squoosh is an open-source image compression web app built by the Chrome Labs team at Google. The name is literal: to \u201csquoosh\u201d something is to squeeze or squash it, which is exactly what the app does to your image files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The project\u2019s GitHub page describes the goal in one line: \u201cMake images smaller using best-in-class codecs, right in the browser.\u201d In practice, that means MozJPEG for JPGs, OxiPNG for PNGs, and modern formats like WebP and AVIF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        There\u2019s nothing to install, since Squoosh runs in your browser. That said, it\u2019s also a progressive web app (PWA), so if you compress images often, you can install it from your browser and launch it like a regular desktop app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Every version is free to use, and the app handles compression locally. That\u2019s good news for privacy, because images never leave your machine. One honest caveat, straight from the project\u2019s GitHub README<\/a>: Squoosh uses Google Analytics to collect basic visitor data and before-and-after file size values, but never the images themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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