Squoosh: Compress Images Locally and Compare Sizes
September 23, 2026
Squoosh in Taku is a local image compressor. You pick an image on your computer, choose an output format, adjust the quality, and compare the original file size with the compressed one before you save it. The image is processed on your machine. It's based on Squoosh, the open-source image compression app from Google Chrome Labs.
| Type | Desktop app |
| Category | Productivity |
| What's inside | 1 app · processes images locally |
| Published on Taku by | Ricky |
| Adapted from | GoogleChromeLabs/squoosh on GitHub |
| Cost to use | Free |
What it does
Large images are the most common reason a web page, an email, or a slide deck feels slow. Most of the time you can make a photo much smaller with no visible difference — you just need to try a format and a quality setting and look at the result.
Pick an image and a format. Choose a local image, then choose one of the available output formats.
Adjust quality. Lower quality means a smaller file. The point of a tool like this is finding the lowest setting where you still can't see the difference.
Compare the sizes. The app shows the original and resulting file sizes, so you can see exactly how much you saved before deciding to keep it.
Save or try again. Download the processed image, or reopen it and try a different format or setting.
Picking a format
The format usually matters more than the quality slider. As a rough guide, from Google's own image format guide and MDN's image types reference:
| Format | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG | Photos, broad compatibility | No transparency; artifacts at low quality |
| PNG | Screenshots, logos, sharp edges, transparency | Large files for photos |
| WebP | Photos and graphics on the web, with transparency | Older software may not open it |
| AVIF | The smallest files for photos at similar quality | Slower to encode; support is newer |
A practical habit: compress the same image two ways, compare the sizes, and zoom in on the edges and text before choosing. Image compression that looks fine at full view can show blocky artifacts around fine detail.
When to reach for it
- A photo is too large to upload, email, or attach
- You're adding images to a website and want pages to load faster
- A slide deck or document has ballooned because of pasted photos
- You want to compare formats before committing to one
- You'd rather not upload the image to an online converter
It's the wrong tool for editing the image itself — cropping, retouching, or color work — and for converting hundreds of files at once.
How it differs from Squoosh
The original Squoosh is a web app at squoosh.app. Its README says it never sends your image to a server: compression happens in your browser.
| Squoosh (original) | Squoosh in Taku | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs as | A web app, installable as a PWA | A local app in Taku |
| Compression | In the browser, on your device | On your machine |
| Comparing results | Side-by-side visual comparison, plus file sizes | Before-and-after file sizes; you judge the look yourself |
| Extras | Resizing, palette reduction, many codec settings | A focused set of output formats and a quality control |
| Analytics | Uses Google Analytics for basic visitor data and the before-and-after sizes, per its README | Runs inside your Taku workspace |
To be fair to the original: it's already free to open in any browser, and it has more controls. Squoosh in Taku is the focused version for people who want quick local compression inside the same workspace as the rest of their tools.
What's actually inside
One app. It processes the image you choose on your machine, with no account and no upload.
Setting it up
The GitHub route (the original). Most people just use squoosh.app in a browser. To run it yourself, the README says to clone the repository, run npm install, then npm run build and npm run dev, which needs Node.js on your machine.
The Taku route. Open Squoosh in Taku and pick an image.
Who made it
Squoosh is an open-source project from Google Chrome Labs, released under the Apache 2.0 license. The Taku version was published to the Taku marketplace by Ricky.
You don't need to be technical to use this
You don't need to understand GitHub, Codex, or Claude Code to make an image smaller. Plenty of useful tools start life as a code repository, and none of that should stand between you and a photo that's too big to send.
Taku is a desktop app built for exactly that: find something useful someone already made, open it in your own workspace, and use it with no setup. Browse the free app library for more everyday tools, or read why most AI tools end up in your bookmarks for the setup problem Taku is built around. If you need vector artwork rather than a smaller photo, Medal Forge SVG makes a clean SVG badge from a few choices.
Download Taku and shrink your next image. Taku is in Beta, and the Mac app is available now; there's also an experimental, unsigned Windows build for Windows 10 and 11.
FAQ
What does Squoosh do?
It compresses an image you choose: pick an output format, adjust the quality, and compare the original and compressed file sizes before saving.
Does it upload my image?
No. The Taku version processes images on your machine, and the original Squoosh compresses in your browser without sending the image to a server.
Which format should I choose?
Photos usually get smallest as WebP or AVIF, with JPEG as the most compatible fallback. Screenshots, logos, and anything that needs sharp edges or transparency usually suit PNG or WebP.
Is it the same as squoosh.app?
It's based on it but more focused. The web version adds a visual side-by-side comparison, resizing, and many codec settings.
Is it free?
The app is free in the marketplace. For what Taku itself costs, see pricing.
Key points
- Compresses a local image: choose a format, set quality, compare file sizes.
- Images are processed on your machine, with no upload and no account.
- The format choice usually matters more than the quality setting.
- Based on Google Chrome Labs' open-source Squoosh, which runs free in any browser.
- The Taku version is the focused one; the original has more controls.