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I want nice things: reasonable image size limitations.

gxfx
I want to discuss the store image size limitations.
While I understand that the current limitations (Cover Images & Icons: 500x500px, max 300KB and Screen Images max 150KB) were perhaps justified 10-15years ago, today those feel wildly out of touch.
Today the store images are either tiny or blurry on mid-to-high -range smartphones, which i assume is the most common way to browse the store. 
I'd love to see Garmin upping those limits to at least something around 1024px 1.5mb for both types.
In the end this the most critical touchpoint between the product and a purchase and as a developer I'd like to make my apps shine and not be restricted by outdated limitations.

  • I had to learn the ins and outs of gif compression techniques to publish a 24 frame gif on the site. Its such a pain.

  • I also got the image too big error message a couple of times, but I don't think the problem is that big of a deal. It really isn't that hard to upload highly compressed gif or png. I even have "huge" animated helo image, but since only a small portion of it changes there's no need to repeat 95% of the image that is static. I agree it's a but of try and error, but as a user I think it's better this way than having to wait even longer for images to load.

  • The 500x500px and 300KB limits are definitely frustrating "legacy" constraints for 2026 hardware. These caps exist because Garmin prioritizes ultra-fast loading for the Connect IQ app across all global data speeds and ensures icons don't overstay their welcome on low-memory watches.

    To make your apps shine despite these limits:

    • Vector-Style Designs: High-contrast shapes survive 500px downscaling better than photos.

    • OLED Optimization: Use deep blacks in screenshots; this allows compression to keep the active UI elements sharper within the 150KB limit.

    • Large UI Elements: Focus on "the vibe" in images and leave the fine details for the text description.

    If your design tools export in WebP to hit these tight file sizes, you might encounter upload errors if the store's backend expects a traditional format. You can use webptojpghero to convert your assets back to high-quality JPEGs while keeping them under the 300KB limit. This ensures your colors and clarity stay as consistent as possible during the final upload.

  • in reply to 6487977

    Thank you for another copy&pasted mostly irrelevant AI response...

    I'm curious though, can you post here (if the forum doesn't let you then maybe upload somewhere and post the link) some examples of images that you would like to upload to the store and Garmin doesn't let you?

  • in reply to Rampo

    Please share any best practices. I am somewhat experiences with gif compression but the limites for the IQ store are just brutal, i'd love how you tackle it.

  • in reply to flocsy🤠

    How do you apply different compression strength per region?

    My critique is not just file size but also pixels. The images are tiny and compressed which means they just look washed out even on mid range phones. This is not about the actual assets for the watch faces but only for the store and i don't think loading times are still a huge bottleneck, especially since we are only talking about a few images per product page (not 4k video).

  • in reply to gxfx

    Don't use jpg. Can you share a screenshot of how your app's images look on a phone?