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When I compress an image, does its resolution change?

Compressing an image does not necessarily change its resolution, but it depends on the type of compression used.

Resolution refers to the number of pixels in an image (e.g., 1920x1080), while compression reduces the file size by removing data. There are two main types of image compression:

  1. Lossless Compression: This method reduces file size without losing any image data. The resolution remains unchanged, and the image quality is preserved. Examples include formats like PNG or TIFF (when using lossless settings).

  2. Lossy Compression: This method reduces file size by permanently removing some image data, which can affect quality. While the resolution (pixel dimensions) may stay the same, the visual sharpness or detail decreases. A common example is JPEG compression.

Example:

  • If you compress a 1920x1080 JPEG image using lossy compression, the resolution stays at 1920x1080, but the image may look blurry or pixelated due to data loss.
  • If you compress the same image using PNG (lossless), the resolution remains 1920x1080, and the quality is unchanged, though the file size reduction is usually smaller.

For cloud-based image processing, Tencent Cloud's Image Processing (MPS) service offers efficient compression and optimization tools, allowing you to adjust image quality and format while maintaining or modifying resolution as needed.