Picture quality issues when using ShortPixel

If you're unhappy with how the images look on your website after you optimized them with ShortPixel don't despair! Most of the times,  a fix can be quickly found!

Possible causes and solutions for poor image quality after compression:

1. Over-compression

a. If your images were previously compressed - either locally or with a different image optimization plugin - then we recommend you use the Glossy method instead of Lossy.
If you used ShortPixel in the first place then:

  1. restore all the images
  2. select Lossless or Glossyas image optimization algorithm. Make sure you save the settings after you make the chance.
  3. run again Bulk ShortPixel and optimize the images

b. Most "regenerate thumbnails" plugins corrupt/delete our logs from the WP metadata. In some cases, this could trigger the re-optimization of the images. Please, use the Regenerate Thumbnails Advanced plugin. It is compatible with the ShortPixel Image Optimization plugin.

c. Site Accelerator from JetPack has an image optimization component. You can disable it or use a softer optimization method in the ShortPixel' settings.

2. Artistic pictures that need a softer image optimization method

We recommend that you test all the optimization methods from our plugin before bulk processing your images. Picture quality is subjective, and even if Lossy is the preferred method for most of the cases, we set the Glossy compression algorithms for situations when quality is paramount.

3. Images served via mobile networks

If you notice that your images look better on desktop than on the mobile devices, then it is possible that your ISP severely optimizes the resources for faster delivery.
Some mobile providers use a transparent proxy to help reduce the traffic and they indiscriminately compress all the thumbnails. The resulting thumbnails will thus look bad but only while viewed on a mobile connection.

4. Using SPIO and SPAI simultaneously (or our image CDN from Autoptimize)

If you have both, the ShortPixel Image Optimization plugin and the ShortPixel Adaptive Images activated in the WP dashboard, then our suggestion is to set the latter to Lossless/Glossy.

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