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Lucas_Martin2
Participating Frequently
May 19, 2013
Answered

How to format illustrator output for Facebook cover images.

  • May 19, 2013
  • 2 replies
  • 36635 views

Hi,

I have a cover image that I created in Illustrator that when uploaded loses resolution. I have read that Facebook applies its own compression for files over 100kb and that compressing an image to 90 - 100kb will maximise resolution and help you avoid Facebooks compression. Using this infomation I set the jpeg compression to yeild a file of 90 something kb, but with poor results. Higher resolution images also seem to suffer.

www.facebook.com/barefootwholefoods

You can see the solid colours have become washed out and the edge definition is very poor. The files do not show these problems when viewed in illustrator or quick view.

How do I go about correcting this?

Thanks.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer orianev25958059

    Facebook seems to reduced the image quality to users cover pictures, even when uploaded as PNG >100Kb. Nightmare! You probably won’t notice it too much when you upload photographs, but plain colours and text appear so pixellated that it hurts to simply look at it. This unwanted effect is known as compression artifact.

    So how can I keep my artwork sharp?

    I found the answer browsing through a forum:

    1. Open you image in Illustrator (if it’s a PSD, you can still use ‘File - Open…’ and fetch it)
    2. File - Save for Microsoft Office

    It will save your image as a PNG that somehow, magically, doesn’t suffer the same compression butchery as if you’d save it with Photoshop.

    Hope this helps!

    2 replies

    orianev25958059
    orianev25958059Correct answer
    Participant
    February 19, 2017

    Facebook seems to reduced the image quality to users cover pictures, even when uploaded as PNG >100Kb. Nightmare! You probably won’t notice it too much when you upload photographs, but plain colours and text appear so pixellated that it hurts to simply look at it. This unwanted effect is known as compression artifact.

    So how can I keep my artwork sharp?

    I found the answer browsing through a forum:

    1. Open you image in Illustrator (if it’s a PSD, you can still use ‘File - Open…’ and fetch it)
    2. File - Save for Microsoft Office

    It will save your image as a PNG that somehow, magically, doesn’t suffer the same compression butchery as if you’d save it with Photoshop.

    Hope this helps!

    L
    lisac730
    Participant
    March 17, 2017

    Barge - I've tried all the tips I can find, including saving for Microsoft Office, and am having no luck getting a sharp image for posting on Facebook. Honestly, it's driving me nuts. Not a cover photo, just a vector+photo image to use in a FB group I run. Any other tips? I sent the last one to my daughter, who is a bit more skilled than I am, and she said she "dragged it to photoshop as an eps file, then flattened it, then saved for web." The output she sent back to me worked fine, but now I'm onto the next and it's just not working. Any advice would be appreciated.

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 17, 2017

    Please show your artwork and what it looks like on Facebook.

    Mylenium
    Mylenium
    Legend
    May 19, 2013

    You usually have no control over these things - there may be a different version when viewing on differnet connections/ different devices. That's the whole point of server-side optimizations - safe bandwidth and get the best possible version for each viewing device. The best you can hope for is to upload a higher-res, high quality image and hope it does turn out reasonably well.

    Mylenium

    L
    Lucas_Martin2Author
    Participating Frequently
    May 19, 2013

    Really? Bugger! I don't like not being in control...

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 19, 2013

    Actually color shouldn't be an issue. Are you working in sRGB?

    As for the detail: use a different font (would be more legible anyway), use a different background. Don't create that much noise and grunge in your image. You're still in control, but you have to adapt to the medium, that's all.

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