When downloading your photos, it’s helpful to know which resolution best suits your needs, so you can use, print, and share your images confidently without worrying about losing quality.
This quick guide will show you how to choose the right resolution and explain a few key terms to help you understand your options.
Choosing the Best Resolution for Your Use
Download Option | Best For | What to Expect |
Web-Size | Online use such as social media, websites, and emails. | Small file size, quick to load.
Looks great on screens but is not suitable for printing, especially at larger sizes, as they may appear pixelated or blurry when scaled up. |
High-Res | Printing, editing, design work, etc. | Larger file size, slower to load.
Retains the full quality of the image and can be printed, resized, or cropped more easily without losing detail. |
Things to Keep in Mind
A smaller file size does not mean your photo is low quality. It’s often the result of image optimization to help your images load faster.
For printing, always choose High-Res to keep the best quality.
For online sharing, Web-Size is usually enough and saves storage space.
Your photographer may use image optimization to reduce file size and speed up downloads without affecting the photo resolution or dimensions. This smart compression keeps the image quality intact, making optimized files just as good for printing as the originals.
Helpful Terms
Term | What it Means | Where it Matters |
Image Dimensions (Pixel Count) | The total number of pixels (e.g., 3000 x 2000).
More pixels equal more detail and a larger file size. | Impacts image detail and how large it can be printed. |
Resolution (PPI/DPI) | Pixels per inch (PPI) or dots per inch (DPI) of an image when printed.
| For digital files, the PPI/DPI is just metadata saved to the file. It does not affect the quality of the digital image. For printing, professional print labs may use the PPI/DPI; however will more commonly only rely on the Image Dimensions (Pixel Count).
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File Size | How much storage a photo uses (KB or MB) depends on dimensions and compression. | Affects storage, email attachments, and loading time.
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Image Optimization | Smart compression that reduces file size without lowering visible image quality. It does not change dimensions or resolution. | Helps with faster downloads and uploads while keeping images suitable for use online and in print. |