Resizing High Resolution Images

Most modern digital cameras and smart phones create high resolution images by default, often in excess of 1920 x 1080 pixels (the resolution of a Full HD television), and several megabytes in size. These high resolution images are beneficial for many applications, however, when adding images to your Web pages or online photo galleries, resizing to a smaller resolution can decrease both upload and download times, with no visible loss in quality.

It is recommended to resize your images to 2000 x 2000 pixels, or less. This resolution is large enough to display full size, high detail, photos on your Web site, while also being small enough to ensure your page will load quickly. The tutorials below explain how you can resize your images, before uploading them to HillTop.

Using an Online Tool

An online tool is a conveneint way to resize your images. Using this method, you can upload and resize an image directly from your Web browser, without the need for specialized software. 

We suggest using the resizeimage.net tool. If you are uploading multiple images, you can batch resize your images using this tool: http://picresize.com/batch.php

The following steps outline how to resize an image using resizeimage.net.

1. Click the button labeled "Upload an image." This will open a new file browser window.

2. Use the file browser to locate the image on your computer's hard drive, then double-click on it. 

3. Once you have uploaded your image, scroll down to the section labeled "4. Resize your image."

4. You will see a slider and three fields in this section. The first field will be a percentage, while the second and third will list the current resolution of your image, in pixels. Ensure the box for "Keep Aspect Ratio" is checked.

5. Drag the slider to the left until the values in the second and third fields, which display the image resolution, are equal to or less than 2000 x 2000 pixels.

6. Once your image is at or below 2000 x 2000 pixels, scroll to the bottom of that page and click the "Resize Image" button. After clicking this button, a new set of buttons will appear. Click the button labeled "Download Image" to save the resized image to your computer's hard drive. Your new image can now be uploaded to HillTop.

Using Microsoft Paint (Windows)

If you are using Microsoft Windows, you can resize your image with Microsoft Paint. Follow the steps below to complete the process.

1. Open the Microsoft Paint application, then click "File," located on the menu bar, and select "Open" from the drop-down menu. Find your image using the file browser window, then double-click the file to open it.

2. Next, click the "Resize" button, located in the toolbar. From the pop-up window, first click the "Pixels" radio button, then ensure the box for "Maintain Aspect Ratio" is checked.

3. Choose a new resolution of 2000 pixels or less, in both the "Horizontal" and "Vertical" fields, then click the "OK" button to resize your image. Entering a new value in either the "Horizontal" or "Vertical" field will automatically update the value of the other, which prevents your image from being stretched.

4. Now that your image is resized, click the "File" tab, located in the menu bar, and select "Save As..." from the drop-down menu. Choose a new file name for your image, and select the folder you would like to save your resized image to, then click the "Save" button. Your new image can now be uploaded to HillTop.

Using Preview (Mac)

If you are using a Mac, you can use the Preview app to resize your images. The following steps outline the process.

1. Use Finder to locate the image on your hard drive, then right-click on the file, and select "Open in Preview" from the pop-up menu. 

2. Once the Preview app is open, click on "Tools," located in the menu bar, then select "Adjust Size." This will bring up the "Resize" window.

3. Choose values of 2000 pixels or less in the "Horizontal" and "Vertical" fields, then click the "OK" button to resize your image. Entering a new value in either the "Horizontal" or "Vertical" field will automatically update the value of the other, which prevents your image from being stretched.

4. Now that your image has been resized, click "File," located on the menu bar, then select "Save As..." from the drop-down menu. Choose a new file name for your image, and select the folder you would like to save your resized image to, then click the "Save" button. Your new image can now be uploaded to HillTop.