With four major image formats in common use \u2014 JPG, PNG, WebP, and AVIF \u2014 choosing the right one can be confusing. Use the wrong format and you’ll either waste bandwidth, lose quality, or end up with compatibility issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This guide gives you a clear answer for every common situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photographs have millions of subtle colour gradients and tones. PNG’s lossless compression doesn’t reduce these files much. JPG’s lossy compression, however, exploits the fact that human eyes are less sensitive to small colour variations \u2014 achieving huge file size reductions with minimal visible quality loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For web delivery, WebP gives you 25\u201335% smaller files than JPG. AVIF gives you even more savings. If you need universal compatibility (email, sharing), stick with JPG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Logos typically have flat colours, sharp edges, and transparent backgrounds. PNG’s lossless compression preserves these crisp edges perfectly. JPG would introduce blocky compression artefacts around the edges \u2014 making your logo look blurry or pixelated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your logo is vector-based, SVG is even better. For raster logos, PNG is the right choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Screenshots contain text, interface elements, and sharp pixel-level detail. JPG compression smudges text and introduces visible artefacts around high-contrast edges. PNG preserves everything exactly. Slightly larger file size is worth it for the sharpness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re building a website, modern formats are the way to go. WebP is supported by all modern browsers and gives you 25\u201334% better compression than JPG. AVIF goes even further \u2014 20\u201350% smaller than WebP at equivalent quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both support transparency, both support lossy and lossless modes. AVIF encoding is slower, but the results are exceptional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When sharing images via email or messaging apps, compatibility is paramount. Not all email clients or devices handle WebP or AVIF. JPG is universally understood \u2014 every device, every OS, every app can open it. Use 85\u201390% quality for a good size\/quality balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re going to edit an image further, save it as PNG between editing sessions. Re-saving JPGs repeatedly degrades quality every time. PNG preserves all data losslessly, so you won’t accumulate compression artefacts across multiple edit rounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most social platforms recompress images when you upload them \u2014 so the format you upload matters less than it used to. JPG is a safe universal choice. Some platforms now accept WebP. Check the specific platform’s recommendations for optimal results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n