What counts as an image tool?

Any utility that reads, modifies, or re-encodes a raster image. The category covers compression, resizing, cropping, rotation, format conversion, color sampling, and asset generation such as favicons.

Which formats do these tools accept?

The compressor, resizer, cropper and rotator are built for JPEG, PNG and WebP, and the converter also opens AVIF, GIF and other formats your browser can decode. The color picker, favicon generator and Image to Base64 accept SVG as well. HEIC photos from iPhones open only in a browser that can decode them, such as recent versions of Safari; elsewhere, save the photo as JPEG or PNG on your device first.

Are the original EXIF tags preserved?

Re-encoding through the Canvas API drops EXIF metadata, including GPS coordinates, camera identifiers, and capture timestamps. The output file is a clean re-encode of the pixels with no original metadata block. Image to Base64 does not re-encode: by default it removes EXIF, XMP, IPTC, comments, and C2PA losslessly and keeps the orientation, and a Keep original metadata option encodes the file unchanged.

How large can an image be?

Each image can be up to 50 MB. Every image tool except Image to Base64 also refuses images over 50 megapixels or with a side longer than 10,000 pixels. Phones can run out of memory on smaller images, and a very large image may freeze the tab briefly while it decodes.

Does converting from PNG to JPEG lose transparency?

Yes. JPEG has no alpha channel. Transparent pixels are flattened against a background color, usually white. Convert to WebP instead when transparency matters and you still need compression.

Why does compression sometimes make a file larger?

Already-optimized photos and very small images have little redundancy left. The re-encode adds its own headers and quantization tables that can exceed the original size. Try a lower quality setting or accept the source as final.

Can I batch process many images at once?

The current tools are designed for one file at a time. Loading them into a single Canvas keeps memory predictable. For repeating the same job across hundreds of images, a desktop script using something like ImageMagick remains the better fit.

Do the tools work offline?

Yes, once a tool's page has loaded, in that tab. The image tools download nothing else as you work, so you can disconnect and keep going until you close or reload the tab or open another page. Opening or reloading a page needs a connection, because the site installs no service worker and the browser checks each page with the server as it opens.

Complete guide to image tools

By the inyourbrowser.com editorial team · Reviewed and tested September 30, 2026

What are image tools?

Image tools are utilities that decode a raster image, transform the pixels or container, and encode a new file. The category covers compression for upload limits, resizing for social platforms, format conversion between JPEG, PNG, and WebP, plus rotation, cropping, color sampling, and asset generation.

How to choose an image tool

Start from what is wrong with the file, then pick the tool that fixes that one thing:

If the file is too heavy for an upload form or an email, compress it. The target-size pages find the quality for a 100 KB or 200 KB cap for you.
If the pixel size is wrong, for example a 1080 by 1080 slot for a wide horizontal photo, crop first to choose the framing, then resize. A resize preset on its own trims the overflow from the center.
If an app or site refuses the format, convert it: WebP for the web, JPEG for older software, PNG when you need transparency.
If the photo is sideways or mirrored, rotate or flip it before any other step, so later crops line up.
If you need the image inside HTML or CSS rather than as a file, encode it to Base64. If you need one color from it, sample the pixel with the color picker.
If you are launching a site, generate the favicon set from one square logo of at least 512 pixels.

For a side-by-side comparison with upload-based image services and desktop image editors, see the image tools overview.

Tool comparison

Tool	Primary use	Formats / options
Compress image	Reduce file size	JPEG, PNG, WebP in. JPEG, PNG or WebP out
Resize image	Change pixel dimensions	JPEG, PNG, WebP. Platform presets
Convert image	Switch between formats	JPEG, PNG or WebP out. AVIF, GIF and more in
Rotate & flip	Fix orientation	90, 180, 270 degrees. Horizontal and vertical flip
Crop image	Trim or reshape	Rectangle, square, circle
Image to Base64	Embed in HTML or CSS	Data URI output
Image color picker	Sample a color	Hex, RGB, HSL output
Favicon generator	Build icon set	16, 32, 48, 64, 192, 512 PNG

How to process an image in the browser

Pick the right tool for the job. Decide whether you need a smaller file (compress), different pixel dimensions (resize), a different file format (convert), or a different orientation or framing (rotate or crop).
Drop the source image into the tool. Drag the file onto the upload area, or click or tap it to pick a file. The browser decodes the image inside the tab, and most tools then draw it onto a canvas.
Adjust the controls and preview. Move the quality slider, change the target dimensions, or pick a 90, 180 or 270 degree rotation or a flip. Rotation and crop previews follow each change; in the compressor, the resizer and the converter, click Compress, Resize or Convert to see the result with the new settings.
Download the result. Save the processed image to your device. The output is a fresh re-encode with no original EXIF metadata attached (Image to Base64 instead gives you text to copy, built from the original bytes with the metadata removed unless you keep it).

Common workflows

A few sequences cover most needs.

Prepare a photo for a job application. Start by cropping to frame the headshot, then scale it down to the required pixel size, and finish by compressing it under the 100 KB or 200 KB cap.

Build a website launch kit. Turn the source logo into a favicon set, then save the hero image as WebP for modern browsers, and keep a JPEG fallback that you shrink with the quality slider.

Sample design colors from a screenshot. Read the hex code of a pixel, build a palette around it, and check that text on it stays readable.

Step-by-step versions: optimize images for a website, size a photo for each social network, and prepare a product photo for a marketplace listing.

Format primer: JPEG, PNG, WebP

JPEG uses lossy compression tuned for photographs. Quality settings between 70 and 85 give files roughly five to ten times smaller than PNG with no visible loss at normal viewing sizes. JPEG has no alpha channel.

PNG uses lossless compression and supports transparency. It is the right pick for screenshots, line art, logos, and any image where pixel-perfect fidelity matters. File sizes for photographs are large.

WebP offers both lossy and lossless modes plus alpha. Typical savings over JPEG range from 25 to 35 percent at equivalent visual quality. Every major browser released after 2020 supports WebP, so the legacy compatibility gap has effectively closed.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as an image tool?: Any utility that reads, modifies, or re-encodes a raster image. The category covers compression, resizing, cropping, rotation, format conversion, color sampling, and asset generation such as favicons.
Which formats do these tools accept?: The compressor, resizer, cropper and rotator are built for JPEG, PNG and WebP, and the converter also opens AVIF, GIF and other formats your browser can decode. The color picker, favicon generator and Image to Base64 accept SVG as well. HEIC photos from iPhones open only in a browser that can decode them, such as recent versions of Safari; elsewhere, save the photo as JPEG or PNG on your device first.
Are the original EXIF tags preserved?: Re-encoding through the Canvas API drops EXIF metadata, including GPS coordinates, camera identifiers, and capture timestamps. The output file is a clean re-encode of the pixels with no original metadata block. Image to Base64 does not re-encode: by default it removes EXIF, XMP, IPTC, comments, and C2PA losslessly and keeps the orientation, and a Keep original metadata option encodes the file unchanged.
How large can an image be?: Each image can be up to 50 MB. Every image tool except Image to Base64 also refuses images over 50 megapixels or with a side longer than 10,000 pixels. Phones can run out of memory on smaller images, and a very large image may freeze the tab briefly while it decodes.
Does converting from PNG to JPEG lose transparency?: Yes. JPEG has no alpha channel. Transparent pixels are flattened against a background color, usually white. Convert to WebP instead when transparency matters and you still need compression.
Why does compression sometimes make a file larger?: Already-optimized photos and very small images have little redundancy left. The re-encode adds its own headers and quantization tables that can exceed the original size. Try a lower quality setting or accept the source as final.
Can I batch process many images at once?: The current tools are designed for one file at a time. Loading them into a single Canvas keeps memory predictable. For repeating the same job across hundreds of images, a desktop script using something like ImageMagick remains the better fit.
Do the tools work offline?: Yes, once a tool's page has loaded, in that tab. The image tools download nothing else as you work, so you can disconnect and keep going until you close or reload the tab or open another page. Opening or reloading a page needs a connection, because the site installs no service worker and the browser checks each page with the server as it opens.

Related concepts

EXIF metadata explains why GPS and camera tags disappear after re-encoding.
PNG covers the lossless format and its alpha transparency, the reason to pick it over JPEG for logos and cut-outs.
HEIC explains the iPhone photo format that most browsers cannot open without a JPEG or PNG copy.
PDF tools guide shares the same browser-side model for document workflows.
Color tools guide pairs with image color picking and palette work.

Reviewed and tested September 30, 2026.