Why Do Images Look Blurry After Uploading?
A practical troubleshooting guide for blurry uploaded images, covering resize limits, compression, retina displays, and format choices.
Images usually look blurry after uploading because the destination changes them. A CMS, marketplace, social platform, or theme may resize the file, recompress it, crop it, or display it at a larger size than the pixels you uploaded.
Start by checking the final displayed size. If an image is shown at 1200 pixels wide, upload a clean file at least 1200 pixels wide. For crisp high-density screens, many sites benefit from a 2x source, such as 2400 pixels for a 1200 pixel display slot.
Common causes
- The uploaded image is smaller than the display slot.
- The platform compresses uploads aggressively.
- A theme stretches the image with CSS.
- Text or screenshots were exported as low-quality JPG.
- The wrong crop is being served on mobile.
What to try
Use the Image Resize Tool to export a copy at the intended dimensions. If file size is too large, run the result through the Image Compressor and compare before replacing the live image.
FAQ
Why does my image look sharp locally but blurry online?
The site or app may resize, recompress, or display the image larger than its actual pixel dimensions.
Can compression make images blurry?
Yes. Low quality settings can soften detail, especially text, product edges, and screenshots.