Guides

How to resize an image without stretching it

Updated 21 October 2026

Tool for this guide: Resize image

Short answer: open the image resizer, choose Pixels, type the width you need and leave Keep proportions switched on. The height is worked out for you, so the image keeps its shape.

Three ways to resize

What Keep proportions does

With Keep proportions on, the image fits inside the size you enter. Here's what happens to a 4000 × 3000 photo:

Step by step

1. Open the image resizer and add up to 50 images.
2. Choose Pixels, Percent or a Preset.
3. Tick Don't enlarge smaller images if some images are already small.
4. Optionally change the format, then download each image or a ZIP.

Presets: Fill & crop or Fit inside?

• Fill & crop fills the whole preset size and trims the edges that don't fit. Best for social posts.
• Fit inside keeps the whole picture and fills the gaps with a colour or transparency. Best when nothing may be cut off.

To choose exactly which part is kept, crop the image to the right shape first.

Does resizing reduce file size?

Yes, a lot. Halving the width and height leaves a quarter of the pixels, so the file usually becomes much smaller. For the smallest files, resize first and then compress.

Questions

Can I make an image bigger?

Yes, up to 200% with Percent, or any size with Pixels. For enlargements that stay crisp, use the image upscaler or the AI photo enhancer.

What size should images be for a website?

Usually 1200 to 2000 pixels wide for full-width images and 600 to 800 for images inside text. Check the aspect ratio calculator to keep the shape.

Which sizes do social networks use?

See the social media image sizes guide, or use the social media image resizer.