Every time I export an image as PNG, I get stuck at the “compression level” prompt. The options go from 0 to 9, and it’s easy to forget what each one actually does.

Why not just use JPG? PNG is lossless and supports transparency. Handy for things like signatures or overlays.

Quick notes:

  • Compression levels: 0 (none) to 9 (max)
  • Quality: All levels are lossless, but higher compression takes longer
  • File size: 0 = biggest, 9 = smallest

Here’s how to think about it:

  1. Level 0 (No Compression): Fastest save, biggest file. Good if you’re in a hurry or don’t care about size.
  2. Levels 1-2 (Minimal Compression): Slightly smaller files, still quick.
  3. Levels 3-5 (Balanced): A good default. Decent size, not too slow.
  4. Levels 6-7 (Moderate): Smaller files, a bit slower. Worth it when uploading lots of images.
  5. Levels 8-9 (Maximum): Smallest files, slowest save. Only worth it if you really need to squeeze out every byte.

Level 5 works well for most cases. Going higher only makes sense when archiving or batch-uploading a large set.