# Grr, why is Microsoft Photo Editor crap at resizing! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 10, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grr-why-is-microsoft-photo-editor-crap-at-resizing/284099 "2005-01-10T21:09:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grr-why-is-microsoft-photo-editor-crap-at-resizing/284099/1 "2005-01-10T21:09:10Z")
Ok, lame pit again, but it’s irritating. I took some pickies on the way to work. I am viewing them at work and want to resize some of them to about 30% for internet viewing so I can post them on another NG. But the only app I have available - MS Photo Editor produces horrible, visibly pixelated results! Correction - _really_ lame pit. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grr-why-is-microsoft-photo-editor-crap-at-resizing/284099/2 "2005-01-10T22:05:38Z")
I don’t have it here at work, but I do at home. I’m going to ask you a really dumb question. In the Resize dialogue, have you checked the box for “Smooth”? I’ve noticed that MSPE does a pretty bad job of enlarging, but I haven’t had much problem with it reducing. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grr-why-is-microsoft-photo-editor-crap-at-resizing/284099/3 "2005-01-10T22:13:45Z")
Yes, the smooth is clicked. Strangely it’s _ok_ (not brilliant) with halving (50%, 25%) but at 30% it produces clearly visible pixelation. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grr-why-is-microsoft-photo-editor-crap-at-resizing/284099/4 "2005-01-10T23:50:57Z")
Ditch the MS program and go with [Irfanview](http://www.irfanview.com/). It’s an excellent free image viewer/manipulator progam. It can resize photos using the Lanczos Directshow filter which yields excellent quality results (you may need to download the plugin package). ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grr-why-is-microsoft-photo-editor-crap-at-resizing/284099/5 "2005-01-11T01:20:16Z")
Because there is no computing task, no matter how simple, that Microsoft cannot screw up. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grr-why-is-microsoft-photo-editor-crap-at-resizing/284099/6 "2005-01-11T03:49:50Z")
Jpeg images use a process of compression that involves 8x8 pixel blocks. If you resize using a percentage that will divide evenly into 8, then you will get a relatively clear clean result. If you use an alternative percentage that doesn’t divide evenly into 8, you will get blockiness when it attempts to remove the lines, or half-lines, or 2/5 lines, or whatever. Unless they use a superior compressor, which clearly the app in question does not. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grr-why-is-microsoft-photo-editor-crap-at-resizing/284099/7 "2005-01-11T11:30:14Z")
Since it does okay with 50 percent reduction, it might help to reduce incrementally. Reduce two or three times as necessary, 50 to 75 percent at a time.