Image Formats
Image Formats Explained: JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, GIF
A plain-English guide to image formats: when to use JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF or GIF, with a comparison table of quality, size, transparency and support.
· 10 min read
Image Formats
JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, GIF and HEIC explained in plain language: what each format is good at, which one to choose for photos, screenshots or logos, and how resolution, DPI and colour profiles affect the result.
Image Formats: quick guide
Use JPG for photos when compatibility matters most, PNG for screenshots, logos and anything that needs sharp edges or transparency, and WebP or AVIF for websites, where they give smaller files at the same quality. GIF is only worth using for simple animations; animated WebP is usually far smaller.
HEIC is the iPhone’s default photo format. It saves space on the phone, but many websites and Windows apps can’t open it, so convert it to JPG before uploading it somewhere that refuses it.
Free tools used in these guides
Everything runs in your browser except the uploader, and nothing needs an account.
- Image to URL: upload a picture and get a direct link, HTML, BBCode or Markdown, with location data removed.
- Image compressor: make JPG, PNG and WebP files smaller in your browser, or hit a size such as 100 KB.
- Resize image: set an exact size like 1080 × 1080, a width or a percentage.
- HEIC to JPG: convert iPhone photos so they open everywhere.
- Remove EXIF: see and strip GPS location, camera and date from photos.
- Image to Base64: turn small images into data URIs for HTML and CSS.