Fix Pixelated Images: What Are Compression Artifacts?
DefinitionVisible distortions caused by aggressive file compression.
1The Simple Explanation
Artifacts are the 'glitches' you see in low-quality JPEGs. They look like blocky squares or fuzzy halos around text. They happen when you squeeze a file too hard.
2Technical Deep Dive
Common types include 'Result Ringing' (halos around high contrast edges) and 'Blocking' (visible 8x8 grid lines). They occur when the quantization step in JPEG compression discards too much high-frequency frequency data.
Common Misconceptions
Myth: Increasing resolution fixes artifacts. Fact: Upsaling a bad image just gives you a larger bad image. You need to convert from the original source.