GitHub README Image Optimization Guide

Compress screenshots, diagrams, and demo GIFs for your GitHub README so the page loads fast and your repo stays lightweight.

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Optimize all your README assets before committing.

1
Gather README Assets
Drop in screenshots, logos, architecture diagrams, or demo GIFs you plan to reference from README.md.
2
Compress to Web-Ready Size
Target 100–150KB per screenshot. Convert PNG screenshots to WebP if GitHub-rendered pages are your only target.
3
Commit and Reference
Add the compressed files to a /docs or /assets folder and link them from README.md via ![alt](path) syntax.

GitHub has a hard 10MB per-file limit on rendered images — compress aggressively or use Git LFS.
PNG screenshots usually compress 70–80% with no visible quality loss using OxiPNG.
For demo GIFs, consider converting to a WebP or MP4 video embed — file sizes drop by 10× or more.

Can GitHub render WebP images in README?

Yes. GitHub-flavored markdown supports WebP in ![alt](path) references on the rendered README page.

How big is too big for a README image?

Keep individual images under 200KB and the total README payload under 1MB to keep clone times snappy.

Should I use Git LFS for README images?

Only for large demo videos or very high-res assets. Compressed screenshots under 200KB belong directly in the repo.

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