🖼️ How to Resize Images for Texting (So They Always Get Delivered)

Learn why your picture messages sometimes fail to send and how to easily resize large image files on Windows, Mac, or using free online tools to ensure they are under the 1MB limit for texting.

✨ When You Need This Guide

This guide is for you if you've ever run into these common issues:

You're trying to text a picture from your computer, but it's not being delivered.
You received an error message that your image file is too large to send.
You need to make a picture's file size smaller than 1MB.
You want to know how to resize an image on your computer without needing special software.

The Core Problem: File Size Limits

Most phone carriers limit the size of picture messages (MMS) to about 1 Megabyte (MB). Modern cameras and phones often take pictures that are much larger than this. If your image file is over the limit, it will likely fail to send. A good rule of thumb is to ensure your image is no larger than 500x500 pixels.

✅ Three Ways to Resize Your Image

Here are three simple methods to get your image under the 1MB limit.

Option 1: Use a Free Online Tool (The Easiest Method)

This is the best option for a quick and simple resize without any software.

In your web browser, go to a free tool like Simple Image Resizer or ResizePixel.
Upload your image.
Choose to resize by dimensions. A good target is to make the longest side 500 pixels (or less).
Download the new, smaller image file to your computer.

Option 2: Resize on a Windows PC

Windows offers two great built-in tools for resizing images: the modern 'Photos' app and the classic 'Paint'.

Method A: Using the 'Photos' App (Recommended for Windows 10 & 11)

Find the image file on your computer. Right-click on it and choose Open with > Photos.
Once the image is open, click the three-dot menu (...) in the top toolbar and select Resize image.
In the new window, click Define custom dimensions.
Make sure Maintain aspect ratio is checked. Change the Width or Height to 500. The other dimension will update automatically to be less than or equal to 500.
Click Save. This will save a new, smaller copy of your image.

Method B: Using 'Microsoft Paint'

Find the image file on your computer. Right-click on it and choose Open with > Paint.
In the 'Home' tab at the top, click the Resize button.
In the pop-up window, select the Pixels option.
Make sure Maintain aspect ratio is checked. Change the larger of the two numbers (Horizontal or Vertical) to 500.
Click OK.
Go to File > Save as and save the newly resized image as a JPEG or PNG file.

Option 3: Resize on a Mac (Using the Preview App)

Macs have a powerful built-in Preview app that can resize images in a few clicks.

Double-click the image file to open it in the Preview app.
In the top menu bar, click the image dimensions icon.
A dialog box will appear. Change the Width or Height to 500 (whichever is originally larger). Make sure the units are set to "pixels."
Click OK.

💡 Common Questions & Issues

If you're still having trouble, here are a few common scenarios.

What You Might Notice	Why It's Happening	What to Do
I resized the image, but it's still not sending.	While 1MB is a typical limit, some carriers can be stricter, or there could be a temporary network issue.	Try resizing the image again to an even smaller size (e.g., make the longest side 400 pixels).
The resized picture looks blurry or low quality.	Resizing an image always removes some data, which can reduce quality. This is an expected trade-off for getting the file size down.	For texting, a small amount of quality loss is usually acceptable and often not noticeable on a phone screen. If you need to send a high-quality image, using email is a better option.
I can't find the "Resize" option in my Photos app (Windows).	You might be using an older version of Windows or a different photo viewing application as your default.	Ensure you are opening the file with the official "Photos" app. Right-click the image, choose "Open with," and select "Photos." If the option is still missing, using one of the free online tools is the easiest alternative.

🎉 You'll Know It's Working When:

The text message with the image sends successfully without any errors.
You check the "properties" or "get info" of the new image file, and its size is under 1MB.

💬 Need Help? We're Here!

If you have other questions about sending images or other media, our support team is ready to help. Contact us at 800-563-0469 or support@getaloha.com.