Image file size increase when added as featured image

  • Hey there,

    I have a very, very weird problem.

    I’m using an image as featured image – normally that is 1000x wide and between 400 to 800 height, depending on the picture. I compress it with Photoshop and tinypng.com. I’m trying to get them well unter 100kb which mostly works out.

    I then upload them into the media gallery. At this point, it’s all fine and works. But as soon as I set the image as a featured image, it still looks good, but it increases in file size (not dimension!!) between 20 and 100%, depending on the image while keeping the same image dimensions.

    1. Uploading image 1000×600 with 100kb
    2. Image with 1000×600 is in the media gallery with 100kb
    3. I set the image as featured image with 100kb and 1000×600
    4. Image is on the site as featured image, right click on the image, show in new tab, download the image, check the details…and suddenly it’s 1000×600, 200kb.
    5. I noticed that it also autoscales form 72dpi to 96dpi and thought that was the issue, but it isn’t. Uploading a 96dpi image from the get go has the same effect.

    So there is scaling involved which adds to the file size, but to me it isn’t clear why and when this is happening. I tested that on a different installation of wordperss as well and with different pictures, it’s always the same. The theme is “engine”, a news theme.

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

  • I have no idea why that is happening, but I recommend checking if a plugin may be the cause of this problem.

    In the meanwhile, you can use JPEGmini (look it up on Google) to decrease filesize.

    Thread Starter Seph

    (@seph)

    No, even with all plugins disabled it’s still happening. I also disabled wordpress scaling unter settings/media.

    So then it has to be a theme issue?

    I doubt it. I know for a fact that the true filesize is larger than Windows tells you, but not by much.

    There must be “something” going on in the background that upscales the image and thus increasing the filesize.

    Thread Starter Seph

    (@seph)

    Sure, but what could that be. It’s happening on two different wordpress installations. The only thing in common is the theme.

    Have you tried seeking support with the theme developer?

    Thread Starter Seph

    (@seph)

    Yes, he is completly baffled. We will see if he can find a solution. Every hint is welcome. He says he has never seen something like that.

    Then again, switching to a different theme like twenty eleven, there is no size increase for the image file size and it therefore solves the issue using the exact same pictures. So there has to be something strange going on within the theme code scaling, I guess.

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • The topic ‘Image file size increase when added as featured image’ is closed to new replies.