How to resize an image in Windows 11

Whether you need to shrink a large photo for an email or adjust dimensions for a web upload, you don't need expensive software like Photoshop. Windows 11 has powerful image tools built right in. In this guide, we’ll show you how to resize any image in seconds using the Photos app and Microsoft Paint—no downloads required.

Shrinking vs. Enlarging

When resizing images, keep this "golden rule" in mind:

How to resize an image in Windows 11 using the Photos app

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Go to the image you want to edit.
  3. Right-click on the image.
  4. Hover over Open with.
  5. Select Photos.
    Open the image in the Photos app
  6. Click the three‑dot options button in the top menu.
  7. Click Resize image.
    Resize image option in the Photos app
  8. In the next window, ensure the Pixels option is selected.
  9. Enter the desired width or height.
    Photos app resize settings

    The image will maintain its aspect ratio. For example, if you enter a width, the height will automatically be resized to match the aspect ratio of the image.

  10. You can select a quality by using the slider below Quality.
  11. Click Save.
    Select a quality in the Photos app and click the Save button
  12. In the next window, you can change the location on your computer where you want to save the edited image.
  13. You can edit the file name of the image in the File name field.
  14. Click Save.
    Save the resized image in Windows 11

💡 Did You Know? If you have a newer Copilot+ PC (with an NPU chip), your Photos app includes a Super Resolution button. This uses AI to upscale small images up to eight times their original size while keeping them sharp. If you don't see this option, don't worry—you can still use the standard Resize steps above for great results!

How to resize an image in Windows 11 using Microsoft Paint

Paint (also known as Microsoft Paint or MS Paint) is a simple raster graphics editor that has been included with all versions of Microsoft Windows.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Go to the image you want to edit.
  3. Right-click on the image.
  4. Hover over Open with.
  5. Select Paint.
    Open the image with Microsoft Paint
  6. Click the Resize and Skew button in the toolbar section.
    Paint Resize and Skew button
  7. In the next window, ensure the Pixels option is selected.
  8. Enter the desired width or height.
    Paint Resize and Skew window

    The image will maintain its aspect ratio. For example, if you enter a width, the height will automatically be resized to match the aspect ratio of the image.

  9. Click OK.
  10. Click File in the top left corner.
  11. Hover over Save as.
  12. Select the format of your image (e.g., PNG, JPEG (JPG), GIF). In this example, the format is .jpg (JPEG).
    Save edited image in Paint
  13. In the next window, you can change the location on your computer where you want to save the edited image.
  14. You can edit the file name of the image in the File name field.
  15. Click Save.
    Save the resized image in Windows 11

How to resize an image in Windows 11 using Microsoft PowerToys

Microsoft PowerToys is a set of free, open-source utilities designed to help power users and developers get more out of Windows. Get PowerToys from the Microsoft Store.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Go to the image you want to edit.
  3. Right-click on the image.
  4. Select Resize with Image Resizer.
    Open image with Image Resizer
  5. Choose the desired size or choose Custom.

    The image will maintain its aspect ratio. For example, if you enter a width, the height will automatically be resized to match the aspect ratio of the image.

  6. Click Resize.
    Resize image with Image Resizer

Related:

How to resize multiple photos at once in Windows 10 and 11

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