How to Resize Large Images Before Uploading

The ReservationKey system accepts only moderately sized images for optimal web performance. Photos taken with modern phones are often several megabytes in size, which is too large to upload directly. This guide shows how to resize those large images using a free online tool before adding them to your ReservationKey account.

Why Resize Images?

Large image files (such as 4MB–10MB photos) slow down uploads and can affect website loading times. By resizing images to around 800 pixels wide, you ensure faster uploads and better display performance across devices.

Step 1: Find an Image Resizer

The easiest way to resize images is to use a free online tool. One recommended option is imageresizer.com.

To find an image resizer:

1. Open your web browser and search for “image resizer” in Google.
2. Select a trusted tool such as imageresizer.com.

Step 2: Upload Your Images

1. Download or locate your large image files on your computer (usually in your Downloads folder).
2. In the resizer tool, click Select Images (or similar).
3. Highlight one or more images — hold Shift to select multiple files.
4. Click Open to upload them.

Large images (e.g., 6–7 MB each) will take a few moments to upload.

Step 3: Choose the New Image Size

1. After the upload, set the Width field to 800 pixels.
2. The tool will automatically adjust the height proportionally (e.g., 800×600).
3. Click Export to process the images.

The resized images will now be much smaller (around 100–300 KB each) — ideal for ReservationKey uploads.

Step 4: Download and Extract the Resized Images

1. Click Download All Images to save the resized files.
2. Locate the downloaded ZIP file in your Downloads folder.
3. Right-click the ZIP file and select Extract All ? Extract.
4. A new folder will appear (e.g., Resized Images) containing your smaller image files.

Step 5: Upload the Images to ReservationKey

Once your images are resized, upload them to your ReservationKey account:

1. In ReservationKey, go to your Rooms section.
2. Open the room you want to edit (for example, Room 7).
3. Under Reservation Page Details, find the Primary Photo field and click Browse.
4. Navigate to your Resized Images folder and select the image to upload.
5. Click Upload.

By default, ReservationKey themes automatically resize uploaded images to fit. You can experiment with 800px or 400px widths if your theme handles scaling differently.

Adding Photos to the Slideshow

To ensure your room’s slideshow displays correctly:

• Make sure there are at least two photos uploaded for that room.
• The slideshow will not display properly with only one image (this may be addressed in a future update).

Step 6: Review Your Upload

After uploading:

1. Go to your public Reservation Page.
2. Open the corresponding room (e.g., Room 7).
3. Verify that the images display correctly in the slideshow.

Most ReservationKey themes will automatically resize photos to fit the layout, so the 800-pixel width typically works well for all devices.

Summary

Before uploading large photos to ReservationKey, resize them to around 800 pixels wide using a free tool such as imageresizer.com. This ensures fast uploads, optimized display, and a smooth slideshow experience. Remember to include at least two images per room for slideshows to function correctly.