How to Reduce Image Size for Google Ads

Google Ads has strict image specifications. Get them wrong and your ad is rejected before it ever ships. Here's the spec, the size caps, and the fastest path to compliance.

Google Ads image specifications (2026)

Responsive Display Ads: image assets

• Landscape: 1200×628 (1.91:1)
• Square: 1200×1200 (1:1)
• Logo (landscape): 1200×300 (4:1)
• Logo (square): 1200×1200 (1:1)
• File size cap: 5 MB per asset
• Formats: JPG, PNG, GIF (static or animated GIF for some placements)
• No WebP, no AVIF at the moment. Convert to JPG.

YouTube image ads

• Companion banner: 300×60
• Display image: 1280×720
• File size cap: 150 KB for the companion, 1 MB for display
• Formats: JPG, PNG, GIF

Discovery Ads

• Landscape: 1200×628
• Square: 1200×1200
• Portrait: 960×1200
• File size cap: 5 MB

Performance Max

• All above sizes apply.
• Add lifestyle photos: 1200×900 or larger.

The two common rejection reasons

1. File size over limit

Most Ads images are oversized JPEGs. A photo at quality 100 from a phone camera easily exceeds 5 MB.

Fix: run through Image Compressor at quality 85. Expect 50-70% size reduction with no visible quality loss.

2. Wrong dimensions

Designer hands you hero.jpg at 4000×3000. Google Ads needs 1200×628. Cropping is needed, not just resizing.

Fix: use Social Media Image Resizer. Pick custom dimensions or use the OG Image preset for 1200×630 (effectively the same).

A fit-it-in-under-5MB workflow

For a 1200×628 ad image:

1. Start with a high-res source (designer's PSD export, original photo).
2. Resize / crop to 1200×628 using Social Media Image Resizer → custom size.
3. Save as JPG.
4. Run through Image Compressor at quality 85.

Expected output: 150-400 KB JPG, well under Google's 5 MB cap.

Why not push toward the limit

Smaller images load faster in the ad slot. Faster-loading ads get higher quality scores. Higher quality scores mean lower CPC.

Don't ship a 4.8 MB ad just because you can. 300 KB is the sweet spot: sharp enough for any placement, fast enough to score well.

YouTube companion banner constraint

The 300×60 companion banner has a 150 KB cap. That's tight for a photo. Solutions:

• Use a graphic, not a photo. Logos compress to under 50 KB at 300×60.
• If you must use a photo: quality 70-75, max savings.

Image format

Stick with JPG for Ads in 2026. Google Ads accepts JPG, PNG, and animated GIF, but JPG is universally the smallest at the same visual quality.

PNG only makes sense for logos with sharp edges, transparency, or large flat-colour areas.

Tools

• Image Compressor: compress JPG to fit size limits
• Social Media Image Resizer: crop to exact dimensions
• PNG to WebP: if you need to convert a PNG source

All client-side. Your ad creative never uploads to any external server.

Quick reference: target file sizes

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