Compress an image to the IRCC upload limit
Choose the account's limit, add your pictures and download versions under it. It runs in your browser, so your documents are never uploaded.
Free · no signup Runs in your browser
What is the IRCC upload file size limit?
IRCC's Help Centre says the limit depends on the online account: 4 MB per file for the IRCC secure account, the online citizenship application, the asylum portal and the Permanent Residence Portal, and 5 MB for the IRCC Portal. Choose the limit that applies to you, add your picture and the tool saves a copy under it, shrinking the picture only as far as it has to. Always check your own account's current limit.
Getting under the limit without ruining the picture
An upload that fails for size is one of the most common small problems in an immigration application. Phone photos and scans are often 5 to 15 MB, far over the limit, and a document that is too small to read can also be rejected. The goal is the largest, clearest picture that still fits.
This tool starts by lowering the JPEG quality, which usually cuts the size a lot with little visible change, and only then makes the picture smaller in pixels, in gentle steps, until it fits. A document scan therefore stays readable. The limits below come from IRCC's Help Centre (modified September 28, 2026), and the accepted file types also depend on the account. For a PDF that is too big use the PDF compressor, and for a photo that must meet the passport, PR card or citizenship size rules check it first with the photo size checker. A photo that must be saved straight from the camera, unedited, should not be compressed: ask the photographer for a smaller file instead.
It runs in your browser. Your documents are never uploaded, and there is no sign-up.
IRCC upload limits and file types, by account
From IRCC's Help Centre. The limits are per file.
| Account | Limit per file | File types |
|---|---|---|
| IRCC secure account | 4 MB | .jpg, .png, .doc, .tiff, .pdf |
| IRCC Portal | 5 MB | .jpg, .png, .doc, .docx, .tiff, .pdf |
| Online citizenship application | 4 MB | .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff, .pdf |
| Asylum Portal | 4 MB | .jpg, .png, .tiff, .doc, .docx, .pdf |
| Permanent Residence Portal | 4 MB | .pdf (forms and supporting documents), .jpg, .jpeg, .doc, .docx, .png |
Mistakes it helps you avoid
- Choosing 5 MB when your account allows 4 MB.
- Compressing a photo that must be unedited from the camera.
- Making a scan so small that the text cannot be read.
- Uploading a file type your account does not accept: check the table.
How the file is made smaller
Quality first, size second.
1. Your browser reads the picture. It is not uploaded.2. It is saved at about 45% quality and the size is checked; if it fits, the tool searches for the highest quality that still fits the limit you set.3. If it is still too big, the picture is made 15% smaller in each direction and tried again, up to ten times.4. The result is shown with its size so you can check it is under the account's limit.
Kilobytes here are 1,024 bytes and a megabyte is 1,024 kilobytes, so a 4 MB limit is 4,096 KB; the presets use 3,900 KB and 4,900 KB to leave a little room. JPEG is lossy, so each save costs some detail; keep your original. Transparent areas become white. The limits and types are those IRCC published in its Help Centre and can change, so check your account before you upload.
Example: a 7 MB phone photo of a document
A 7 MB photo of a document must go into the IRCC secure account, which allows 4 MB.
- Limit3,900 KB (under 4 MB)
- ResultA JPG found by trying qualities, and a slightly smaller picture only if needed
A JPG under 4 MB, with its size shown
If the text is hard to read, scan at a lower resolution instead of compressing more.
Terms on this page
- File size limit
- The most a single uploaded file can be; for IRCC accounts it is 4 MB or 5 MB.
- JPEG
- A common picture format that can be made smaller by lowering its quality.
Common questions
What is the IRCC file size limit?
4 MB per file for the IRCC secure account, the citizenship application, the asylum portal and the Permanent Residence Portal, and 5 MB for the IRCC Portal. Check your own account.
What file types does IRCC accept?
It depends on the account, and commonly includes JPG, PNG, TIFF and PDF. The table above lists them for each account.
Can I compress a passport photo?
Not if it must be saved straight from the camera. Ask the photographer for a file under the limit.
Is my document uploaded?
No. It is compressed in your browser and never sent anywhere.
How do I compress a PDF?
Use the PDF compressor on this site. This tool is for pictures.
Where these numbers come from
- IRCC Help Centre — File size limits for online applications 4 MB or 5 MB per file, depending on the account (modified September 28, 2026).
- IRCC Help Centre — File types you can upload Accepted file formats for each online account (modified September 28, 2026).
- MDN Web Docs — HTMLCanvasElement.toBlob() How a browser encodes a canvas as PNG, JPEG or WebP, and what the quality argument does.
- MDN Web Docs — Using files from web applications How a page reads a file you choose without uploading it.
Last verified 2026-10-25 The method on this page is checked against the sources above at least once a year. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
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