Getting Started with PixelTamp
PixelTamp is a native macOS desktop app designed for rapid media compression. It runs entirely in-process using Apple hardware acceleration and embedded compression engines. No Homebrew, no terminal commands, and no cloud uploads.
Installation & System Requirements
PixelTamp requires macOS 26 or later. It runs natively on, and is optimised for, Apple Silicon (M-series processors).
Download and install PixelTamp exclusively from the Mac App Store.
The Core Workflow
Compressing images and videos with PixelTamp takes just three steps:
1. Choose or Drop Your Media
- Drag and drop files, multiple selections, or entire folders directly onto the PixelTamp drop zone.
- Alternatively, click Choose Files… (or press
Cmd + O) to open the native macOS file picker.
2. Choose Your Options (or use our defaults)
PixelTamp comes tuned with sensible defaults right out of the box:
- Preset: Select Tamped (balanced default), Lossless (maximum fidelity), Aggressive (minimal file size), or All (generates all three options in one shot).
- Resize: Constrain the longest dimension (e.g. 2560px, 1920px, 1024px, or Original Size).
- Format: Keep original format or convert to modern formats like WebP or MP4 video.
3. Staged Batch Queue & Safe Processing
When media is added, files are staged in the queue so you can review selections and adjust presets, dimension constraints, or format conversions live before processing.
Click Tamp Files (or press Return) to begin. PixelTamp operates non-destructively by default:
- Tamped files are saved alongside the source files with a
_tampedsuffix (for example,hero.pngbecomeshero_tamped.png) or into a designated custom folder. - If you prefer to replace original files directly, optional in-place overwriting can be enabled in Settings.
- When batching is complete, click Reveal All in Finder to view your freshly compressed assets.
Privacy & On-Device Security
PixelTamp operates completely offline and on-device:
- Direct File Handling: When you drag and drop files or choose them through the native open panel, PixelTamp reads the source media directly and writes the optimised versions to your chosen output directory.
- Privacy Assurance: PixelTamp makes zero outbound network requests. With no telemetry, tracking, or cloud dependencies, your media never leaves your Mac.