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Simple Way to Resize Pictures to Post to the MLS or to Send to Clients

How often have you had to reduce the size of a picture in order to email it to a client or post it on the MLS? If you have an 8 metapixel camera like me the images have a lot of detail but are usually too large to email, post to internet sites such as Localism, or to upload to the MLS.

I usually have to go to a photo processing program like Photoshop Elements a resize them one by one.

The Image Resizer enables you to resize image files with a simple right click of the mouse. The instructions below will guide you through downloading this free software from Microsoft onto your computer and applying it to your image files. (Image Resizer is for XP users only)

1 - Click ImageResizer.exe to start the download.

2 - Install software by clicking Run

3 - Click Run again

4 - Once Image Resizer is installed, all you need do is right-click on any
image file, there will be a "Resize Pictures" entry in the context menu.

5 - Click "Resize Pictures", and you'll have various quick-resizing options.
Select one and a resized duplicate of the image file will be created.
You can also resize multiple image files at once

Once installed it is easy to right click in the image and select the size you want. It makes a resized copy so you do not alter the origional. Doing multiple images all at once is a great feature.

I hope the ActiveRain community finds this free Microsoft add-on for Windows XP useful.

Here are other articles and tutorials that may be of interest to you:

Real Estate Room Photography Made Simple!

Photoshop Elements Tutorial I - Correcting White Balance

Kodak v705 Tutorial I - White Balance

Kodak v705 Tutorial II - Sharpness

Kodak v705 Tutorial III - ISO Speed

Kodak v705 Tutorial IV - Picture Modes

Kodak v705 Tutorial V - Color Modes

Kodak v705 Tutorial VI - Exposure Compensation

Kodak v705 Tutorial VII - Flash Photography

Kodak v705 Tutorial VIII - Picture Size

Mike Stankewich, Realtor, Huntington Beach, California

www.MikeStankewich.com

www.RealEstate4HuntingtonBeach.com

Posted by <i>Mike Stankewich, MBA, e-PRO - ZipRealty, Inc.</i> on 03/23/2007 02:44 PM

Comments (61)

image resizer, photographs, photography, windows xp, microsoft, pictures

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61 Comments on Simple Way to Resize Pictures to Post to the MLS or to Send to Clients

MAR

2007

Thanks! I like the idea of resizing without having to go to a photo editor.

MAR

2007

Appreciate the tip, thank you.

thanks. This is just the information I was looking for. I had no idea this was an add on one could download right from the internet.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thanks for the tip. I will bookmark this article.

Your image resizer is too cool. I was trying to make it more difficult than it was. If all else fails as my Dad says "read your directions" and right click. Thanks!!!

Mike,

That is a wonderful tool ..... will be a definite time saver and I like the duplicate file!

Thanks,

Ginger

It is a definite hit. My SoCal MLS made me aware of it. Thanks to them all our ActiveRain members can benefit from their tip. I love it. I had such trouble sending images to a Texas client interested in buying a second home in Huntington Beach.

MAR

2007

Mike, Thanks for sharing this. I've downloaded this software and will definitely be using it!

MAR

2007

I went out recently for a couple of days to do a camera shoot of Huntington Beach and Sunset Beach and the neighborhoods. I am posting these pictures on Localism.com, the sister site of ActiveRain. It was taking forever to upload the images to Localism. Now that I have this tool, I resized them all at once. Uploading now takes just a fraction of the time it used to.

thanks - I was recently told about his program but was not sure of the name - thanks again - beats ding them one at a time.

MAR

2007

Cool real cool! can't belive it was right at my finger tips .... Thanks

MAR

2007

Another good resizer is IrfanView. I use it all the time!

I am sure there are a lot of good programs out there. I use Photoshop Elements when I want to crop or enhance images. The Microsoft plug in is just so convienent when I need to resize multiple images in a hurry and do not have the time to open another program.

Use whatever image organization and editing program that you are familiar with and like. I use PE because I know how to use it and it serves my needs.

The add-on does not replace imaging programs. It is just an easy way to re-size images in a hurry. It does not do anything else.

Thank you. I had tricked myself into believing that my email recipients all wanted an 8 x 10 image of me. Now I can start trying to deal with the (possible) reality that they may not....

APR

2007

I find this invaluable. My desktop crashed recently so I am using my laptop. I did not have this add-on on my laptop as I do most of my photographic work on my desktop.

I needed to resize some pictures yesterday to post on a blog. Immediately I loaded the add-on on my laptop. I cannot live without this simple and convienent add-on from Microsoft.

APR

2007

Mike, I've been using the software and it is a tremendous timesaver as it automatically places a copy of the photo in the same folder as the original. Quick and painless way to get a 28 KB (or larger) photo (it has several options). Thank you for sharing a great tool.

Excellent tip!

APR

2007

I like it !

Thanks, Mike

This is the best tip I have come across in a long time. It is so simple and a great time saver. It does not alter your origional file since it makes a re-sized copy. I use it all the time now. So much easier than opening photo editing software.

APR

2007

Thanks Mike for the very useful tip. I can really use this as I was having problems getting the correct sized photos to my realtor partners.

Bummer, My new desktop came with Vista. This favorite add-on is not compatable with Vista. Microsoft, get you ass moving on solving this problem. I love the re-sizer. Fortunately I still have it on my laptop with XP, however it is a pain to transfer the jpeg files. Maybe I need to get a small portable external hard drive to simplify the process.

Once again Microsoft, get moving! You create a nice feature and do not bother to make it compatible with your lastest money making release of Windows. Serve your clients, not your wallets.

Come on Billy Gates, quit being the goody-goody boy with charitable foundations of you choosing with our money, take control of your company and reduce your monoply prices and serve your customers as well. This oversight of a good add-on is outrageous.

I just supported you with a new desktop with Vista for the one that crashed with XP. Now it is time you supported your users.

APR

2007

One order of Crow... to go, please

Somewhat embarrassing story to tell. I liked the capability you described for the image resizer powertoy and immediately downloaded and installed. Noticed no icon on screen and couldn't find installed program file. Wandered in the bluenowhere for way too long trying to find it before searching on line and finding the explanation that the install puts a "resize pictures" entry into the right click context menu in Windows Program Explorer. Found it - used it - loved it. (still using XP)

Then I went back into your original post and found all the necessary information clearly presented in the text of your entry. < shakes head >

The moral? READ TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE !

I mention this because if I got it wrong - some other readers may have also - and the tip is way too good to miss. And it is probably useful to remind ourselves that even experienced people make dumb mistakes sometimes.

Thanks again, Mike. By the way - crow, properly prepared, isn't too bad. I recommend the remoulade sauce

APR

2007

quite possibly the best photography tip that I have learned!

Mike --

Thanks for the great tip -- I downloaded it and it works exacly like you said it would. Would you mind telling a technically challenged computer user like me what the best size picture is for the internet? The options that are available on the resizer are small, medium, and large . . . Thank you.

Tammy Kemp --First Impressions

Tammy,

I use small for the internet. When it resizes your photos it keeps the origional intact and creates a copy marked as small.

That way you still have the origional for printing and other purposes.

Thanks so much for this tip.

Carolin Benjamin
Bob & Carolin Benjamin - The Benjamin Team - Keller Williams Integrity First Realty - Gold Canyon, AZ

APR

2007

If you use MS Outlook ,

1) Attach Image using the paperclip icon

2) Click on "Attachment options"

3) Pick the image size you want.

This will reduce your image size by 80-95%

APR

2007

I updated the related articles and tutorial list.

Hi Mike, Thanks again for another great tip. Much appreciated.

MAY

2007

I am sure I am doing somethng dumb, but like another reader, I downloaded the program, can't find any icon or program - when I right-click on a picture I see no "context." What is context and where is it?

ahem...Deborah, speaking as the "other" reader, let me try to help you.

Navigate to the subdirectory you use to keep your photos. If you have many photos and you may not have easy file names - you may wish to select the "Views" menu and choose to display thumbnails which are little images of your pictures. Right click on the the name or the thumbnail image of the photo you wish to resize (or select several photos and right click on the selection). In the drop down menu that appears you will see the option to resize pictures - on my Windows XP system it is the fourth option down from the top. (I am assuming you ran the install file that you downloaded) We use the term context menu because the drop down menus in windows offer different choices depending on the "context" of what you are doing at the moment

So to summarize, from the sub-directory your photo file is in, right click on the photo name and choose rezize pictures from the drop down menu.

This may be confusing to you because it did not install a stand alone program - it became a menu command in a location that may not be intuitive if you do not use the Windows menus frequently. But it is there and you will like it when you become used to the location. It is worth taking a moment to figure it out. You may email me directly if you have any further problem. I hope that helps you.

Thank you. I appreciate the detail and nuance. I haven't tried it yet because I am exhausted from trying to program my new phone! Sheesh.

Anyway, I had read somewhere that you just right click on any ole picture (I was trying to resize the pics I had already posted on blogs) and that didn't work.

Thanks again for your help and if it works, I will happily resize all of my ginormous photos!

MAY

2007

WOW! That's a lot of great information!

THANKS!!!

MAY

2007

Thanks Mike! I have been using resizr.com and it is a bit tedious to go and do all the pics one by one. It does let you crop but most tools do anyway.

MAY

2007

Mike, Thanks so much. If you ever get to Temecula, I will buy you lunch for this great tip! What size should I make the pictures for using in the blogs?

MAY

2007

What a great tool. Thank you,

Dave

MAY

2007

A much needed tip! Thanks for sharing.

MAY

2007

I have been needing this in a big way. Thank you for posting it. I am installing as I type.

For those of us in Mac land, Mac as usual makes it easy. No additional software is necessary.
For specific dimensions just insert the photo where needed and then
"cntrl-click" on the photo
select "format object"
then "size"

and do it to it!
If you don't want the height/width ratio to change, be sure you have checked off "lock aspect ratio"

Of course, if you're less picky about actual dimensions and just want to make it fit, you can always just click on the photo and drag the corner diagonally across until it fits the size you are looking for.

Hope this helps mac users who might need it (although most of you are probably more savey than I with mac stuff.)

Lori Salzman

Room To Improve

JUN

2007

Thanks Mike. Resizing is always such a hassle. Thanks for an easy solution!

JUN

2007

About as simple as you can get...

Thanks!

Trish and Troy, I don't know if you know this and am sorry to inform you if you don't, but Mike passed away on May 21. Please see my blog that I wrote to the AR Community in regards to his death...

Rest in Peace Mike Stankewich, our #1 Huntington Beach Agent on Active Rain

JUL

2007

Mike_ this is a great re-sizer---nice that your posted it. I've been using it for quite a while. The easiest I've found.

Thanks

JUL

2007

Thank you very much for sharing, that was good information.

SEP

2007

Mike, Very helpful! Pictures have proven challenging for me to this point...

Thanks so much. I was just cursing my image editing software yesterday as I tried to reduce multiple images. I'm off to download the software.

SEP

2007

This is great....

I love the idea of resizing many images without opening my photoshop...

Thank you

SEP

2007

Great tip. I especially like that you can do multiple images at once! Thanks!

Kim Dillon, Creative Eye Home Staging

Cool!! I've always used Photoshop Elements one photo at a time. This will certainly be a big timesaver and I can use all of those I can find now that I'm spending more time on AR. It's also good to know I can get something free from MS, Karen

Great post. Thanks for the tip Mike. This has always been a chore so I can't wait to try the resizer.

OCT

2007

Hi Mike, I recently purchased a Kodak v705 and when I tried to upload some photos they need to be resized. I did not have that problem with the other Kodak camera that I had. I downloaded the image resizer and it won't open I don't know what I am doing wrong. I was wondering if you might have some idea. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks for posting all your info!

OCT

2007

Works great!!! Thanks!!

This was the most inconvenient thing of all, going to Photoshop to resize a photo. Thanks for the tip, really-really helpful. I know that you could send yourself the e-mail and resize in Outlook, but this one is cool.

Wow! thanks for this post, I would usually have to go to Photoshop to resize the images and doing it one at a time is time consumming! I will try this asap.

This does work very well.

Thanks for reposting this I have been looking for this.

Becky

Thanks for the tip!

I'll give it a try.

OCT

2007

I saw this thread and thought I would add another -- This one is completely FREE, is available online and does not require any downloads! I use it all the time and takes only about 30-seconds or less. ;)

Enjoy!

http://www.resize2mail.com/

OCT

2007

Mike - where have you been!!! I would kiss you if you were here!!! I have been fighting with pix sizes since the first picture I loaded on to AR! thank you, thank you thank you!!!!

Even from the grave, Mike knows more and helps all. RIP Mike, and thanks for the help....

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