Frequently Asked Questions

Photo Canvas Pro offers both free and premium versions:

• Free Version: Includes basic image resizing functionality, JPEG format export, size detection, and auto-upload attempt.
• Premium Version: Includes all free features plus batch processing, additional export formats (WebP, PNG, TIFF), enhanced image quality settings, and Google Photos integration.

Photo Canvas Pro processes all images locally in your browser. Your images are never uploaded to our servers, ensuring complete privacy and security. The extension uses the Canvas API built into your browser to perform image resizing operations.

The auto-upload feature automatically detects file input fields on web pages. After you've resized an image, the extension can automatically place the processed image into the last active file input field, eliminating the need to download and re-upload manually.

Smart Size Detection is a feature that monitors websites for upload error messages containing file size limit information. When detected, the extension calculates and recommends a resize percentage that would likely meet the website's requirements, saving you from guesswork and multiple attempts.

The free version supports:

• JPEG input and output

The premium version adds support for:

• WebP output
• PNG output
• TIFF output

Input formats for both versions include JPEG, PNG, and most common image formats supported by browsers.

1. Download the appropriate version (free or premium) from our website
2. Extract the ZIP file to a folder on your computer
3. Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions
4. Enable "Developer mode" using the toggle in the top-right corner
5. Click "Load unpacked" and select the folder where you extracted the extension
6. The Photo Canvas Pro icon should now appear in your browser toolbar

Currently, Photo Canvas Pro is only available for Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers (such as Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Opera). We are exploring the possibility of supporting Firefox and other browsers in the future.

When loading an unpacked extension, Chrome displays a warning because the extension hasn't been verified through the Chrome Web Store. This is normal for manually installed extensions. The warning is a security measure by Chrome to ensure users are aware they're installing an extension outside the official store.

Photo Canvas Pro is completely safe to use, and all processing happens locally in your browser. No data is sent to external servers.

The premium version includes:

• Batch Processing: Resize multiple images at once
• Additional Export Formats: WebP, PNG, and TIFF in addition to JPEG
• Enhanced Quality Settings: Fine-tune compression and quality parameters
• Google Photos Integration: Browse and select images directly from your Google Photos account

The Google Photos integration allows you to:

1. Authenticate with your Google account (one-time process)
2. Browse your Google Photos albums directly within the extension
3. Select images to resize without downloading them first
4. Optionally upload processed images back to Google Photos

Note: This feature requires granting the extension permission to access your Google Photos library.

Some websites use custom file upload controls that may not be compatible with automatic file insertion. In these cases:

1. Use the "Download" button to save the resized image
2. Manually upload the image to the website

Additionally, ensure you've granted the extension permission to access file inputs when prompted.

To improve image quality:

• Use a higher percentage in the resize slider (e.g., 75% instead of 50%)
• Upgrade to the premium version for enhanced quality settings
• Try using PNG format (premium) for graphics and screenshots
• For highly detailed images, consider making smaller reductions (e.g., 90% at a time)

Keep in mind that significant downsizing will inevitably result in some quality loss, especially for images with fine details or text.

If the Photo Canvas Pro icon has disappeared:

1. Click the puzzle piece icon in Chrome's toolbar to see all extensions
2. Find Photo Canvas Pro in the list and click the pin icon
3. If the extension is not in the list, it may have been disabled or removed
4. In that case, visit chrome://extensions to check if it's still installed
5. If necessary, reinstall the extension following the installation instructions