JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF or HEIC: which image format should you use?
Image formats are built for different jobs. This guide explains what each common format is good at, where it causes trouble, and which one to pick for photos, screenshots, logos and uploads.
Lossy and lossless, in one minute
A lossy format (JPEG, lossy WebP, AVIF, HEIC) discards detail that people are unlikely to notice, which makes photos dramatically smaller. A lossless format (PNG, lossless WebP) keeps every pixel exactly, which is ideal for screenshots, diagrams and logos but makes photographs large.
The practical rule: photographs belong in a lossy format; anything with sharp edges, flat colour or text belongs in a lossless one.
The formats compared
| Format | Best for | Transparency | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg) | Photos, form uploads, email | No | Everything, everywhere |
| PNG | Screenshots, logos, graphics with text | Yes | Everything |
| WebP | Websites (photos and graphics) | Yes | All modern browsers; some older apps and forms refuse it |
| AVIF | Websites wanting the smallest photos | Yes | Modern browsers; limited support in editors and portals |
| HEIC / HEIF | iPhone camera storage | Yes | Apple devices; often unsupported on Windows, Android apps and websites |
| JFIF | Nothing special: it is JPEG | No | Rename or convert to .jpg if a site refuses it |
JPEG: the safe default for photos
JPEG has been the standard for photographs since the early 1990s, and every phone, browser, printer and upload form accepts it. Its weaknesses are that it cannot store transparency and that text or sharp lines get faint halos around them. Each time a JPEG is edited and saved again it loses a little more detail, so keep the original and export once at the end.
If a portal asks for "JPG", it means this format. JPG and JPEG are the same thing with different extensions; the JPEG to JPG tool only changes the file name.
PNG: exact pixels and transparency
PNG never discards detail, so screenshots stay crisp and logos keep their exact colours and transparent background. A PNG photograph, however, can easily be five to ten times larger than a good JPEG. If you need to upload a photo that happens to be a PNG, convert it with PNG to JPEG; if you need a transparent logo, keep it as PNG.
WebP and AVIF: built for the web
WebP and AVIF were designed to make websites load faster. At similar visual quality, WebP photos are typically 25–35% smaller than JPEG and AVIF can be smaller still. Both support transparency. The catch is outside the browser: older photo editors, office software and many government or exam portals do not accept them. When you download an image from a website and it will not upload elsewhere, it is usually WebP; WebP to JPG or AVIF to JPG fixes that.
HEIC: why iPhone photos sometimes will not open
iPhones save photos as HEIC by default because it takes roughly half the space of JPEG. Apple devices handle it seamlessly, but Windows, many Android apps and most upload forms do not. Our separate guide on opening and converting HEIC photos covers the options, and the HEIC to JPG converter does it in your browser.
Which format to choose
- Uploading to a form or sending by email: JPEG.
- Screenshot of text, a chart or an app screen: PNG.
- Logo or icon with a transparent background: PNG (or ICO for a website favicon, made with the favicon generator).
- Images on your own website: WebP, with JPEG as a fallback if you support very old browsers.
- Archiving phone photos: keep the camera's original format; convert copies when you need to share.
Frequently asked questions
Is JPG better than PNG?
For photographs, yes: a JPEG is much smaller with little visible difference. For screenshots, text and logos, PNG is better because it keeps edges sharp and supports transparency.
Does converting PNG to JPG lose quality?
Slightly, because JPEG is lossy, and any transparent areas are filled with a solid colour. At a high quality setting the difference in a photo is hard to see.
Why won't a website accept my WebP image?
Many upload forms only allow JPEG and PNG. Convert the file to JPG before uploading.
More guides
- How to compress an image to an exact size in KB
- Photo and signature size for online application forms: a checklist
- KB, MB, pixels and DPI: image size explained simply
- Image sizes for Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube: a practical reference
- All guides
Paul Digital guides are written from hands-on testing of the tools on this site and are reviewed when platforms or formats change. Requirements set by exam boards, governments and apps vary and change over time, so always check the official instructions for your case. Spotted an error? Email askpaulonline@gmail.com.