Shrinkwell help

Getting started

The first time Shrinkwell starts, a short setup lets you turn clipboard optimization on or off, pick folders to watch (Screenshots and Downloads are suggested), and choose what happens to originals.

After that, Shrinkwell lives in the notification area (the tray) near the clock.

• Left-click the icon for the flyout: an on/off toggle, a drop zone, and Recent activity with before and after sizes.
• Right-click for Pause, Optimize files…, Open drop window, Settings and more.

If the icon is hidden under the ^ arrow, drag it onto the taskbar so it is always visible.

The clipboard

When you copy a screenshot or image, Shrinkwell puts a smaller version on the clipboard. Images under 200 KB are left alone (change this in Settings › Clipboard).

• Paste original (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+V) pastes the untouched version of the last optimized image.
• Excluded apps always receive the original when you paste into them, and images copied from them are left alone. Common image editors are on the list by default. Add others by program name, like krita.exe.
• Image files copied in File Explorer can be optimized too. Pasting into an app sends the smaller copy, while pasting into File Explorer always uses the real files.

Watched folders and optimizing by hand

Add folders in Settings › Watched folders. For each one, choose Images, Videos and PDFs, and whether to Include subfolders. Shrinkwell waits for downloads to finish, never downloads files that are only in the cloud, and never optimizes its own output again.

To optimize files yourself:

• Press Ctrl+Alt+O to open the drop window, then drop files or click Choose files….
• Drop files on the flyout's drop zone.
• In File Explorer, right-click files and choose Send to › Optimize with Shrinkwell.

The drop window can Replace originals or Save copies next to originals.

Quality and originals

Choose a preset in Settings › Quality:

• Lossless: identical pixels, just packed better. Videos are left as they are.
• Balanced (recommended): no visible difference for screenshots, photos and recordings.
• Smallest: the most savings. Fine detail may soften slightly.

You can also set a different preset for images, videos or PDFs, shrink large images, downscale videos above 1080p, and remove photo metadata such as GPS location. A file is only replaced if it gets at least 5% smaller. Otherwise it is marked Already optimized.

In Settings › Originals, move originals to a backup folder (recommended), keep them next to the file as name.original.ext, or don't keep them. To undo, hover an item in Recent activity and choose Restore original.

Files left untouched

Some files are skipped on purpose, with the reason shown in Recent activity:

• Animated images.
• Photos with extra data after the image, such as motion photos.
• Rotated phone videos and HDR videos.
• Signed, password-protected, encrypted and PDF/A PDFs.
• Files on network drives, read-only files, and files you don't have permission to change.

Video processing waits while your PC is on battery. Turn this off in Settings › Quality.

Keyboard shortcuts

These work from anywhere in Windows while Shrinkwell is running.

Trial and license

Shrinkwell is free to try for 14 days, with everything turned on. After that: Automatic optimization of the clipboard and watched folders stops. You can still optimize 3 files a day by hand.

Entering your license key

1. Buy a license. Your key appears on screen as soon as the payment goes through, and arrives by email.
2. In Shrinkwell, open the License page in Settings.
3. Paste the key and choose Activate. The PC needs to be online for this step.

Using it on more than one PC

One key works on up to 3 PCs. To move it to a new PC, deactivate it on the old one from the License page first. If the old PC is gone, free up its place at Manage devices, using the email address you bought with or the key itself.

Once activated, Shrinkwell works offline. When it's online it checks the license about once a week, so a refunded or revoked key stops working on its next check.

Bought Shrinkwell in the Microsoft Store? The Store edition is licensed through your Microsoft account instead, and doesn't use a key.

Updates

Shrinkwell checks for a new version on its own about 30 seconds after each start, and asks before installing it.

Each update is checked against a fingerprint (SHA-256) before it runs, and installs over the current version without touching your data. Updates for the Microsoft Store edition come through the Store.

See what’s new in each version.

Your data and uninstalling

Shrinkwell keeps its settings and data on your PC, in this folder (paste it into File Explorer’s address bar to open it):

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Hedgerow\Shrinkwell

To back it up, quit Shrinkwell and copy that folder.

To uninstall, open Windows Settings › Apps › Installed apps, find Shrinkwell and choose Uninstall. Your data folder is kept, so delete it yourself if you want it gone.

Still stuck?

Email support@hedgerowapps.com and we’ll get back to you. Mention your Shrinkwell version (shown in Settings › About) and your Windows version. More answers are on the support page.