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Make Smaller guide

Make Smaller: which quality setting should you choose?

Choose Preserve quality, Balanced or Smallest size, then compare the actual file size and detail.

By Osenpa · Updated
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Short answer

Start with Preserve quality when you want no added quality loss. Try Balanced if a little loss of detail or sound quality is acceptable. Smallest size allows stronger reductions. Compare the outputs: choosing a stronger setting does not guarantee a smaller file.

This guide covers Make Smaller. Check requirements and download options before you begin.

Before you start

  • Make Smaller on Windows 11 24H2 or later, x64, with an active license.
  • The original file and an app that can open it for comparison.

Start here

  1. Choose what matters most

    For an original you may edit, print or keep, start with Preserve quality in the File Explorer Make Smaller menu. Keep that original whichever profile you try.

  2. Try Balanced when needed

    If the first result is still too large, select the original again and choose Balanced. Depending on the file, this can reduce picture detail, sound quality or video resolution.

  3. Compare the saved copy

    Use Show in folder. Look at small text and fine detail, or listen to speech and music. Read any note about resizing or media changes.

  4. Try Smallest size if the change is acceptable

    Use the original again for Smallest size. Do not keep compressing an already reduced copy, which can add more quality loss.

  5. Choose by the result

    Right-click each output in File Explorer and choose Properties. Compare Size and the quality you checked. There is no target-MB setting, and a stronger profile may not make this file smaller.

Check your result

  • The copy has the detail, sound and working features you need.
  • Its actual Size fits any upload limit.
  • The original remains available for a different profile or later editing.

Why the result may use a different method

Some features, such as animation or a signature, can limit how a file is processed. The app may use a method with no added quality loss even if you chose Balanced or Smallest size. Read the result to see what it actually did.

For ordinary ZIP and 7z archives, the files inside stay unchanged. Smallest size does not resize the photos stored in an archive.

How much reduction is enough?

For a lossless result, the saving must reach both 4 KiB and 0.1% of the input size. A result that applies quality loss must save both 4 KiB and 5%. Otherwise no extra copy is published.

These are acceptance thresholds, not promised compression ratios. The method actually applied matters: a lossless fallback uses the lossless threshold even when you selected Balanced or Smallest size.

The app used in this guide

Make Smaller

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Related guides

Sources and further reading