Which image format should you choose?
The right format depends on the type of image and how it will be used. Photographs, product shots, and complex graphics generally compress well as WebP or JPG. Images with transparency, such as logos and icons, are best saved as PNG or WebP. AVIF offers excellent compression for modern browsers, but it is not supported by every browser and email client.
| Format | Best for | Transparency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPG | Photographs, complex gradients | No | Widely supported, good compression, no alpha channel. |
| PNG | Logos, icons, screenshots | Yes | Lossless and crisp, but photos can be large. |
| WebP | Web pages and applications | Yes | Modern browsers support it and files are usually smaller than JPG or PNG. |
| AVIF | High-efficiency web delivery | Yes | Excellent compression, but not supported by older browsers or most email clients. |
Transparency and JPG conversion
JPG does not support transparency. When you convert a PNG or WebP image with an alpha channel to JPG, the transparent area is filled with white before encoding. That keeps the image visually clean, but it means transparent pixels become solid white. If you need to preserve transparency, choose PNG or WebP as the output format.
WebP as the default web format
WebP combines modern compression with broad browser support. It handles both photographs and graphics, supports transparency, and typically produces smaller files than JPG and PNG at comparable quality. For most website image libraries, WebP is a practical default.
When AVIF is a better choice
AVIF can produce even smaller files than WebP, especially for detailed photographs. It is a good option when your audience uses current Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge versions and you can provide a fallback format. For email campaigns, JPG or PNG remains the safer choice because email clients have limited format support.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting an image reduce quality?
Converting between lossy formats can reduce quality, especially if the image has already been compressed. Start with a high-quality original and set the output quality between 80% and 90% for most uses.
Can I convert multiple files at once?
Yes. Select multiple files in the file picker or drag a folder of images into the drop zone. Every file is converted with the same settings.
Why is my AVIF output missing or empty?
Some browsers do not support AVIF encoding yet. Use WebP instead, or test the page in a current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.
Related tools
Use the image compressor to reduce file size, the resizer to change dimensions, and the color extractor to build a brand palette from a converted image.