react-native-compressor, react-native-image-crop-picker, and react-native-image-resizer are React Native libraries focused on image manipulation, but they serve distinct purposes in the media processing pipeline. react-native-compressor specializes in reducing file size for both images and videos using native compression algorithms. react-native-image-crop-picker provides a complete user interface for selecting, capturing, and cropping images, with built-in resizing and compression. react-native-image-resizer is a utility-only library that resizes images to exact pixel dimensions without any UI component. Together, they address different stages of image handling — from user interaction to background optimization — and are often used in combination in real-world applications.
When building mobile apps that handle photos — whether for user avatars, social posts, or document uploads — you’ll quickly run into the need to compress, resize, or crop images before sending them over the network. Three popular libraries tackle this space in React Native: react-native-compressor, react-native-image-crop-picker, and react-native-image-resizer. While they all touch image manipulation, their capabilities, architecture, and use cases differ significantly. Let’s break down what each does best.
react-native-compressor focuses exclusively on compression — reducing file size without necessarily changing dimensions. It supports both images and videos, and uses native compression APIs under the hood (like iOS’s UIImageJPEGRepresentation and Android’s Bitmap.compress). You give it a file path, and it returns a smaller version.
import { compressImage } from 'react-native-compressor';
const compressedUri = await compressImage(uri, {
compressionMethod: 'auto', // or 'manual'
quality: 0.8,
maxWidth: 1024,
maxHeight: 1024
});
react-native-image-crop-picker is a full-featured picker that includes cropping, resizing, and basic compression as part of its workflow. It opens a native UI for selecting or taking photos, then lets users crop before returning the result. Compression is built in but not its primary focus.
import ImagePicker from 'react-native-image-crop-picker';
const image = await ImagePicker.openPicker({
width: 300,
height: 400,
cropping: true,
compressImageQuality: 0.7,
includeBase64: false
});
// image.path contains the processed file
react-native-image-resizer is purely about resizing — changing pixel dimensions while optionally compressing. It doesn’t provide any UI; you pass it an existing image URI and get back a new resized version. No cropping, no selection — just transformation.
import ImageResizer from 'react-native-image-resizer';
const resizedImageUri = await ImageResizer.createResizedImage(
uri,
200, // width
200, // height
'JPEG', // format
80 // quality (0–100)
);
This is where the biggest architectural difference lies.
react-native-image-crop-picker is a UI-first library. It handles the entire user interaction flow: launching the camera roll, presenting a cropping interface, and returning the final asset. If your app needs users to visually select and trim photos (e.g., profile picture setup), this is the go-to.
react-native-compressor and react-native-image-resizer are utility-only. They assume you already have an image URI (from another picker like @react-native-image-picker or camera capture) and just need to process it silently in the background. No UI, no user prompts — just input → output.
💡 Practical implication: You often combine these utilities with a separate image picker. For example, use
@react-native-image-pickerto get a photo, then pass it toreact-native-compressorfor aggressive size reduction.
react-native-image-resizer gives you pixel-perfect control over output dimensions. You specify exact width/height, and it resizes accordingly (with options for mode: contain, cover, stretch). This is critical when you need consistent thumbnail sizes across a feed.
// Force exact 150x150 square
const thumb = await ImageResizer.createResizedImage(uri, 150, 150, 'PNG', 90);
react-native-compressor prioritizes file size over dimensions. Even if you set maxWidth/maxHeight, the actual output may be smaller to meet the target quality/file size. It’s optimized for bandwidth savings, not layout consistency.
react-native-image-crop-picker offers moderate control — you can set target width/height for cropping, but the final image respects the user’s crop selection. You can’t enforce exact output dimensions if the user drags the crop box freely.
All three work on iOS and Android, but with notable differences:
react-native-image-crop-picker uses TOCropViewController on iOS and a custom cropper on Android. The UI and behavior aren’t identical across platforms, which may affect UX consistency.
react-native-image-resizer always outputs to the app’s cache directory by default, which means images may be cleared by the OS. You must move them to permanent storage if needed.
react-native-compressor supports video compression (a rare feature), but only on iOS. Android video compression is not implemented as of the latest release.
You want users to pick a photo, optionally crop it, then upload a compressed version under 1MB.
react-native-image-crop-picker for selection + cropping, then react-native-compressor for final size reduction.// Step 1: Pick and crop
const picked = await ImagePicker.openPicker({ cropping: true });
// Step 2: Further compress if needed
const finalUri = await compressImage(picked.path, { quality: 0.6 });
Your app downloads full-size images from a server and needs to generate 100x100 previews for a list view.
react-native-image-resizerconst thumbUri = await ImageResizer.createResizedImage(
downloadedUri,
100,
100,
'JPEG',
85
);
Users must upload a square avatar under 500KB. You don’t care about exact pixels, just file size.
react-native-compressorauto compression mode intelligently balances quality and size without manual tuning.const avatarUri = await compressImage(selectedUri, {
compressionMethod: 'auto',
maxFileSize: 500000 // 500KB
});
As of the latest review:
react-native-image-resizer is actively maintained, with recent updates supporting React Native 0.7x and modern build systems (Gradle 8+, Xcode 15).
react-native-image-crop-picker is also actively maintained, though its large native dependency footprint can complicate builds.
react-native-compressor is actively developed and stands out for its support of both image and video compression.
None of these packages are deprecated, and all support modern React Native versions (0.68+).
| Need | Best Package(s) |
|---|---|
| User-facing photo selection + cropping | react-native-image-crop-picker |
| Precise pixel resizing (no UI) | react-native-image-resizer |
| Maximum file size reduction (images/video) | react-native-compressor |
| Silent background processing | react-native-compressor or react-native-image-resizer |
| Square avatars with strict size limits | react-native-compressor |
Don’t think of these as direct competitors — they solve different layers of the image handling pipeline:
react-native-image-crop-picker.react-native-image-resizer.react-native-compressor.In many production apps, you’ll actually use two of them together — for example, crop with image-crop-picker, then further compress with compressor to hit strict upload quotas. Understanding their distinct roles helps you compose them effectively rather than trying to force one tool to do everything.
Choose react-native-compressor when your primary goal is to minimize file size for network transmission, especially if you need to handle both images and videos. It’s ideal for scenarios where you already have an image URI (from another picker) and need aggressive, silent compression without user interaction. Its auto compression mode intelligently balances quality and size, making it perfect for enforcing strict upload quotas.
Choose react-native-image-crop-picker when you need a complete, user-facing solution for photo selection, capture, and cropping. It’s the right fit if your app requires visual editing — like letting users trim a profile picture — and you want a native-looking UI out of the box. While it includes basic compression, it shouldn’t be your sole tool if you need fine-grained control over final file size.
Choose react-native-image-resizer when you need precise control over output dimensions (e.g., generating consistent thumbnails) and already have an image URI from another source. It’s a headless utility with no UI, so it works best in background processing workflows where pixel-perfect sizing matters more than file size reduction. Avoid it if you need cropping or user interaction.
REACT-NATIVE-COMPRESSOR is a react-native package, which helps us to Compress Image, Video, and Audio before uploading, same like Whatsapp without knowing the compression algorithm
We should use react-native-compressor instead of FFmpeg because react-native-compressor gives you same compression of Whatsapp (Image, Video, and Audio) without knowing the algorithm of compression + it is lightweight only increase 50 KB Size Size in APK while FFmpeg increase ~> 9 MB Size in APK, and we have to give manual image/video/Audo size and quality as well as
If you find this package useful hit the star 🌟
yarn add react-native-compressor
you can give feedback on Discord channel
expo install react-native-compressor
Add the Compressor plugin to your Expo config (app.json, app.config.json or app.config.js):
{
"name": "my app",
"plugins": ["react-native-compressor"]
}
Finally, compile the mods:
expo prebuild
To apply the changes, build a new binary with EAS:
eas build
Automatic linking is supported for both Android and IOS
Note: If you are using react-native version 0.60 or higher you don't need to link this package.
react-native link react-native-compressor
pod 'react-native-compressor', :path => '../node_modules/react-native-compressor' into Podfilepod installCmd+R)<android/app/src/main/java/[...]/MainActivity.javaimport com.reactnativecompressor.CompressorPackage; to the imports at the top of the filenew CompressorPackage() to the list returned by the getPackages() methodandroid/settings.gradle:
include ':react-native-compressor'
project(':react-native-compressor').projectDir = new File(rootProject.projectDir,'../node_modules/react-native-compressor/android')
android/app/build.gradle:
compile project(':react-native-compressor')
import { Image } from 'react-native-compressor';
const result = await Image.compress('file://path_of_file/image.jpg');
// OR
const result = await Image.compress('https://path_of_file/image.jpg', {
progressDivider: 10,
downloadProgress: (progress) => {
console.log('downloadProgress: ', progress);
},
});
Here is this package comparison of images compression with WhatsApp
import { Image } from 'react-native-compressor';
const result = await Image.compress('file://path_of_file/image.jpg', {
compressionMethod: 'manual',
maxWidth: 1000,
quality: 0.8,
});
import { Video } from 'react-native-compressor';
const result = await Video.compress(
'file://path_of_file/BigBuckBunny.mp4',
{},
(progress) => {
console.log('Compression Progress: ', progress);
}
);
//OR
const result = await Video.compress(
'https://example.com/video.mp4',
{
progressDivider: 10,
downloadProgress: (progress) => {
console.log('downloadProgress: ', progress);
},
},
(progress) => {
console.log('Compression Progress: ', progress);
}
);
Here is this package comparison of video compression with WhatsApp
import { Video } from 'react-native-compressor';
const result = await Video.compress(
'file://path_of_file/BigBuckBunny.mp4',
{
compressionMethod: 'manual',
},
(progress) => {
console.log('Compression Progress: ', progress);
}
);
import { Video } from 'react-native-compressor';
let cancellationVideoId = '';
const result = await Video.compress(
'file://path_of_file/BigBuckBunny.mp4',
{
compressionMethod: 'auto',
// getCancellationId for get video id which we can use for cancel compression
getCancellationId: (cancellationId) =>
(cancellationVideoId = cancellationId),
},
(progress) => {
if (backgroundMode) {
console.log('Compression Progress: ', progress);
} else {
setCompressingProgress(progress);
}
}
);
// we can cancel video compression by calling cancelCompression with cancel video id which we can get from getCancellationId function while compression
Video.cancelCompression(cancellationVideoId);
import { Audio } from 'react-native-compressor';
const result = await Audio.compress(
'file://path_of_file/file_example_MP3_2MG.wav', // recommended wav file but can be use mp3 file
{ quality: 'medium' }
);
// OR
const result = await Audio.compress(
'file://path_of_file/file_example_MP3_2MG.wav', // recommended wav file but can be use mp3 file
{
bitrate: 64000,
samplerate: 44100,
channels: 1,
}
);
import { backgroundUpload } from 'react-native-compressor';
const headers = {};
const uploadResult = await backgroundUpload(
url,
fileUrl,
{ httpMethod: 'PUT', headers },
(written, total) => {
console.log(written, total);
}
);
//OR
const uploadResult = await backgroundUpload(
url,
fileUrl,
{ uploadType: UploadType.MULTIPART, httpMethod: 'POST', headers },
(written, total) => {
console.log(written, total);
}
);
for cancellation Upload, there is two ways
import { cancelUpload, backgroundUpload } from 'react-native-compressor';
// if we will call without passing any param then it will remove last pushed uploading
cancelUpload()
// if you pass true as second param then it will cancel all the uploading
cancelUpload("",true)
// if there is multiple files are uploading, and you wanna cancel specific uploading then you pass specific video id like this
let videoId=''
const uploadResult = await backgroundUpload(
url,
fileUrl,
{ httpMethod: 'PUT', getCancellationId: (cancellationId) =>(videoId = cancellationId), },
(written, total) => {
console.log(written, total);
}
);
cancelUpload(videoId)
import { backgroundUpload } from 'react-native-compressor';
const abortSignalRef = useRef(new AbortController());
const uploadResult = await backgroundUpload(
url,
fileUrl,
{ httpMethod: 'PUT' },
(written, total) => {
console.log(written, total);
},
abortSignalRef.current.signal
);
abortSignalRef.current?.abort(); // this will cancel uploading
import { download } from 'react-native-compressor';
const downloadFileUrl = await download(url, (progress) => {
console.log('downloadProgress: ', progress);
});
import { createVideoThumbnail, clearCache } from 'react-native-compressor';
const thumbnail = await createVideoThumbnail(videoUri);
await clearCache(); // this will clear cache of thumbnails cache directory
compress(value: string, options?: CompressorOptions): Promise<string>Compresses the input file URI or base-64 string with the specified options. Promise returns a string after compression has completed. Resizing will always keep the original aspect ratio of the image, the maxWidth and maxHeight are used as a boundary.
compressionMethod: compressionMethod (default: "auto")if you want to compress images like whatsapp then make this prop auto. Can be either manual or auto, defines the Compression Method.
downloadProgress?: (progress: number) => void;it is callback, only trigger when we pass image url from server
progressDivider?: number (default: 0)we uses it when we use downloadProgress
maxWidth: number (default: 1280)The maximum width boundary used as the main boundary in resizing a landscape image.
maxHeight: number (default: 1280)The maximum height boundary used as the main boundary in resizing a portrait image.
quality: number (default: 0.8)The quality modifier for the JPEG and PNG file format, if your input file is JPEG and output file is PNG then compressed size can be increase
input: InputType (default: uri)Can be either uri or base64, defines the contentents of the value parameter.
output: OutputType (default: jpg)The quality modifier for the JPEG file format, can be specified when output is PNG but will be ignored. if you wanna apply quality modifier then you can enable disablePngTransparency:true,
Note: if you png image have no transparent background then enable disablePngTransparency:true modifier is recommended
disablePngTransparency: boolean (default: false)when user add output:'png' then by default compressed image will have transparent background, and quality will be ignored, if you wanna apply quality then you have to disablePngTransparency like disablePngTransparency:true, it will convert transparent background to white
returnableOutputType: ReturnableOutputType (default: uri)Can be either uri or base64, defines the Returnable output image format.
if you wanna get image metadata (exif) then read this
compress(url: string, options?: videoCompresssionType , onProgress?: (progress: number)): Promise<string>cancelCompression(cancellationId: string): voidwe can get cancellationId from getCancellationId which is the callback method of compress method options
activateBackgroundTask(onExpired?: (data: any) => void): Promise<any>if you wanna compress video while app is in backgroup then you should call this method before compression
deactivateBackgroundTask(): Promise<any>if you call activateBackgroundTask method, then after video compression, you should call deactivateBackgroundTask for disable background task mode.
getCancellationId: functiongetCancellationId is a callback function that gives us compress video id, which can be used in Video.cancelCompression method to cancel the compression
compressionMethod: compressionMethod (default: "manual")if you want to compress videos like whatsapp then make this prop auto. Can be either manual or auto, defines the Compression Method.
downloadProgress?: (progress: number) => void;it is callback, only trigger when we pass image url from server
progressDivider?: number (default: 0)we uses it when we use downloadProgress/onProgress
maxSize: number (default: 640)The maximum size can be height in case of portrait video or can be width in case of landscape video.
bitrate: numberbitrate of video which reduce or increase video size. if compressionMethod will auto then this prop will not work
minimumFileSizeForCompress: number (default: 0)previously default was 16 but now it is 0 by default. 0 mean 0mb. This is an offset, which you can set for minimumFileSizeForCompress will allow this package to dont compress less than or equal to minimumFileSizeForCompress ref #26
if you wanna get video metadata then read this
compress(url: string, options?: audioCompresssionType): Promise<string>wav file as we convert mp3 to wav then apply bitratequality?: qualityType (default: medium)we can also control bitrate through quality. qualityType can be low | medium | high
bitrate?: number Range [64000-320000]we can control bitrate of audio through bitrate, it should be in the range of 64000-320000
samplerate?: number Range [44100 - 192000]we can control samplerate of audio through samplerate, it should be in the range of 44100 - 192000
channels?: number Typically 1 or 2we can control channels of audio through channels, Typically 1 or 2
UploaderOptionsexport enum UploadType {
BINARY_CONTENT = 0,
MULTIPART = 1,
}
export enum UploaderHttpMethod {
POST = 'POST',
PUT = 'PUT',
PATCH = 'PATCH',
}
export declare type HTTPResponse = {
status: number;
headers: Record<string, string>;
body: string;
};
export declare type HttpMethod = 'POST' | 'PUT' | 'PATCH';
export declare type UploaderOptions = (
| {
uploadType?: UploadType.BINARY_CONTENT;
mimeType?: string;
}
| {
uploadType: UploadType.MULTIPART;
fieldName?: string;
mimeType?: string;
parameters?: Record<string, string>;
}
) & {
headers?: Record<string, string>;
httpMethod?: UploaderHttpMethod;
getCancellationId?: (cancellationId: string) => void;
};
Note: some of the uploader code is borrowed from Expo I tested file uploader on this backend Nodejs-File-Uploader
for cancellation Upload, there is two ways, you can use one of it
const abortSignalRef = useRef(new AbortController());
abortSignalRef.current?.abort();
it will save the thumbnail of the video into the cache directory and return the thumbnail URI which you can display
it will clear the cache that was created from createVideoThumbnail, in future this clear cache will be totally customized
if you want to get metadata of video than you can use this function
import { getVideoMetaData } from 'react-native-compressor';
const metaData = await getVideoMetaData(filePath);
{
"duration": 20.11,
"extension": "mp4",
"height": 1080,
"size": 16940.0,
"width": 1920
}
getVideoMetaData(path: string)if you want to get metadata of video than you can use this function
import { getImageMetaData } from 'react-native-compressor';
const metaData = await getImageMetaData(filePath);
{
"ImageWidth": 4032,
"ImageHeight": 3024,
"Orientation": 3,
"size": 4127057,
"extension": "jpg",
"exif":{...}
}
getImageMetaData(path: string)if you want to convert
content:// to file:/// for androidph:// to file:/// for IOSthen you can call getRealPath function like this
import { getRealPath } from 'react-native-compressor';
const realPath = await getRealPath(fileUri, 'video'); // file://file_path.extension
getRealPath(path: string, type: string = 'video'|'image')if you wanna make random file path in cache folder then you can use this method like this
import { generateFilePath } from 'react-native-compressor';
const randomFilePathForSaveFile = await generateFilePath('mp4'); // file://file_path.mp4
generateFilePath(fileextension: string)
Whatsapp: compresses Images,Videos and Audios in every effect way
See the contributing guide to learn how to contribute to the repository and the development workflow.
MIT