Short answer: open the image or its link in a new tab and compare its pixel dimensions with the displayed version. Many pages use responsive image candidates or link a thumbnail to a larger file, but some sites never expose the original.
Why the saved image may be small
A web page can display a thumbnail while keeping a larger image elsewhere. It can also use srcset or a <picture> element so the browser selects a file based on screen size, pixel density, and supported formats. The file visible in the page source is not always the best available candidate.
Method 1: open the image or link directly
- Right-click the image.Try Open image in new tab and inspect the result.
- Check whether the image is also a link.Open the link in a new tab; galleries often link thumbnails to larger media.
- Compare dimensions.Use the browser or an image viewer to verify pixel width and height before saving.
Method 2: check responsive candidates
Technical users can inspect the image element in browser developer tools and look for srcset, sizes, or a surrounding link. Choose the largest legitimate candidate rather than assuming a filename with “original” exists.
Method 3: use “best available original”
ImageMemento examines the selected image's current source, responsive candidates, and a directly linked image where available. Its Save best available original command then saves the strongest candidate it can identify without converting the file.
What the method cannot do
- It cannot recreate pixels that the website never provided.
- It does not bypass authentication, paywalls, hotlink protection, digital-rights controls, or access restrictions.
- It cannot guarantee that the largest candidate is an unedited camera original.
- CSS backgrounds, canvas drawings, video frames, and heavily scripted galleries may require different techniques.
Before republishing or modifying an image, check its copyright, licence, attribution requirements, privacy implications, and the website's terms.
Common problems
Open image in new tab shows the same thumbnail
The page may not expose a larger candidate, or the site may generate sizes dynamically. Check whether the image is linked and whether responsive candidates exist.
The “original” is WebP
That can be the best file the server provided to your browser. Save it unchanged for maximum fidelity, or convert a copy if another application requires JPG or PNG.
Access is denied
The image host may require the page's session, referer, or other access conditions. Do not attempt to bypass the site's controls. Use an authorised download route if the site provides one.
A quicker local option
Use ImageMemento from the right-click menu
Save the best available original or convert the selected image to JPG, PNG, or WebP inside Chrome or Edge. There are no uploads, accounts, analytics, or AI.