n8n Image Processing: Complete Node Guide

The ConvertIMG node for n8n handles image conversion inside your automation workflows. It connects to the ConvertIMG API and lets you convert between formats without writing any code.

This guide covers every setting the node offers. Input options, output formats, quality controls, and how to wire it into more complex workflows. If you're new to n8n automation, start with our step-by-step workflow guide first.

What Does the ConvertIMG Node Do?

The ConvertIMG node takes an image in one format and outputs it in another. That's the core job.

It accepts these input formats:

• JPG/JPEG — the most common photo format
• PNG — lossless format with transparency support
• WebP — Google's modern format
• HEIC/HEIF — Apple's default photo format on iPhones
• AVIF — the newest high-compression format
• TIFF — used in photography and print

It can output to:

• JPG — maximum compatibility
• PNG — lossless with transparency
• WebP — great balance of size and quality
• AVIF — smallest files, modern browser support
• TIFF — lossless for archiving and print

Beyond format conversion, the node also handles:

• Quality adjustment. Control the compression level from 1 to 100.
• Metadata stripping. Remove EXIF data including GPS location, camera info, and timestamps.
• HEIC auto-conversion. iPhone photos in HEIC format get handled automatically.

The node does one thing well. It converts images reliably and fast. For the full picture on automation approaches, see our complete automation guide.

How Do You Install and Configure the Node?

Setting up the node takes about 5 minutes.

Installation:

1. Open your n8n instance.
2. Go to Settings > Community Nodes.
3. Search for "ConvertIMG" in the npm registry field.
4. Click Install. The node appears in your palette under the "Image" category.

Credential setup:

1. Go to Settings > Credentials.
2. Click Add Credential.
3. Select ConvertIMG API from the list.
4. Enter your API key. You can get one from your ConvertIMG dashboard.
5. Give the credential a name (e.g., "ConvertIMG Production").
6. Click Test Connection to verify it works.
7. Save.

Adding the node to a workflow:

1. Open any workflow.
2. Click the + button to add a node.
3. Search for "ConvertIMG."
4. Drag it onto the canvas.
5. Select your credential in the node settings.

The node is now ready to use. Connect it to a data source, configure the settings, and run it.

What Parameters Does the Node Accept?

The node has four settings you can control.

Output Format (required)

Picks the target format for conversion. Options: jpg, png, webp, avif, tiff.

Choose based on your use case. WebP is the best default for web images. It gives you 25-35% smaller files than JPG with the same visual quality. AVIF goes even further with up to 50% savings.

For print or archiving, use PNG or TIFF to keep full quality.

Quality (optional, default: 90)

Controls the compression level. Accepts values from 1 to 100. Higher numbers mean better quality and larger files.

Recommended settings by use case:

Use case	Quality	Notes
Hero images, product photos	85-95	Keep detail sharp
Blog images, general content	75-85	Good balance
Thumbnails, previews	60-75	Small files are more important
Background textures	50-70	Fine detail isn't critical

Note: this setting is ignored for PNG output. PNG uses lossless compression, so quality doesn't apply the same way.

Remove Metadata (optional, default: yes)

When enabled, strips all EXIF data from the output file. This includes:

• Camera make and model
• GPS coordinates
• Date and time the photo was taken
• Software used to edit the image
• Copyright information

Why strip metadata? Privacy. If you're processing user uploads, you don't want to store or serve their GPS location. Metadata also adds file size, typically 10-50 KB per image.

Why keep metadata? Archiving. If you're building a photo library, the metadata is valuable. Photographers need camera settings and timestamps. Set this to "No" when preserving metadata matters.

Binary Property (required)

Tells the node which binary data to process. n8n attaches files to items as binary properties. The default name is data, which works for most cases.

If your workflow has multiple binary attachments (e.g., an image and a PDF), you'll need to specify which one to convert. Use the exact property name shown in the input item's binary data section.