Ultimate Guide to PNG Compression Techniques: Lossless, Quantization, and Metadata Stripping

Behind every small PNG file lies a set of techniques that balance quality and compression. If you’ve ever wondered how tools shrink PNGs, here’s the ultimate guide.

1. Lossless Compression

  • Preserves 100% of image quality.
  • Reduces size by removing redundant data.
  • Best for: Logos, graphics, medical or technical images.

2. Lossy Compression

  • Sacrifices a small amount of quality for much smaller sizes.
  • Best for: Websites, blogs, and e-commerce.
  • Example: A 2 MB PNG can be reduced to 300 KB with minimal visual change.

3. Quantization

  • Reduces the number of colors in an image.
  • Example: A PNG with 16 million colors can be optimized to 256 colors without noticeable difference.

4. Metadata Stripping

  • PNGs often contain hidden metadata (camera details, editing history).
  • Removing metadata can cut file size by 10–30%.

Pro Tip

Combine lossless compression + metadata stripping for maximum efficiency.

Conclusion

Compression isn’t just clicking “Save for Web”—it’s an art. By applying these techniques, you’ll have smaller, faster, SEO-friendly PNGs.

👉 Compress your PNGs online now with ShrinkPNGSize.com!

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