Title: Thumbnail optimization question…
Last modified: September 1, 2016

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# Thumbnail optimization question…

 *  Resolved [WPWanderer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpwanderer/)
 * (@wpwanderer)
 * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/thumbnail-optimization-question/)
 * Maybe I am thinking about this incorrectly as image optimization has perplexed
   me in the past and I may be over thinking this. I have a question about thumbnails
   and how they are optimized in ewww.
 * Let us say I upload an image (with ewww activated) that according to Photoshop
   has a resolution of 256 pixels/inch.
 * I look at the optimized image in PS again and I see that it now says 72 pixels/
   inch. This is what I was expecting/wanting.
 * However, I look at all the thumbnails and they are all still at 256 pixels/inch.
   For this theme there are some 1600px in width thumbs. So, not little.
 * Does this plugin compress thumbs or am I thinking about this wrong? Also, I haven’t
   messed with the settings. I left them as is as I am testing.
 * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/ewww-image-optimizer/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ewww-image-optimizer/)

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  Plugin Author [Shane Bishop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nosilver4u/)
 * (@nosilver4u)
 * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/thumbnail-optimization-question/#post-7661369)
 * Yeah, you’re confusing DPI (dots/pixels per inch) with resolution. DPI is a ratio
   of the pixels that fit in an inch, the other is simply a measurement of the total
   pixels in an image. The DPI is irrelevant for screens, and is only useful for
   printing (where you want much higher than 72 dpi). What you need to concern yourself
   with regarding image optimization is the resolution of the image as displayed,
   compared to the actual resolution of the image.
    So if your images are 256×256,
   and you’re displaying them on the page at that size, everything is awesome, and
   then you just need EWWW to re-compress the image to minimize the file size. If
   your images are 1600×1600 and you’re displaying them at 256×256 (or less), then
   you need to do one of two things:
 * 1. Resize your image to 256×256
    2. register a new (re)size with something like
   the Simple Image Sizes plugin
 * WordPress generates several sizes by default, but you can add your own or change
   the dimension to fit what your pages are displaying. You can see the default 
   sizes on Settings->Media
 *  Thread Starter [WPWanderer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpwanderer/)
 * (@wpwanderer)
 * [9 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/thumbnail-optimization-question/#post-7661391)
 * Thanks for your thorough answer. I continued to research my confusion on Stack.
   I have learned that I am overly fixated on 72 ppi or dpi or what have you. LOL.
   However, I don’t think I am alone in my confusion. Thanks, again.
 *  Plugin Author [Shane Bishop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nosilver4u/)
 * (@nosilver4u)
 * [9 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/thumbnail-optimization-question/#post-7661422)
 * You definitely are not alone, as it is not the first time I’ve had that question,
   and it probably won’t be the last 🙂

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘Thumbnail optimization question…’ is closed to new replies.

 * ![](https://ps.w.org/ewww-image-optimizer/assets/icon-256x256.png?rev=1582276)
 * [EWWW Image Optimizer](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ewww-image-optimizer/)
 * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ewww-image-optimizer/#faq)
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 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Shane Bishop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nosilver4u/)
 * Last activity: [9 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/thumbnail-optimization-question/#post-7661422)
 * Status: resolved