Formats
Image formats compared: JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF and HEIC, measured on the same files. Which is smallest, which opens everywhere, and when to convert one.
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- FormatsImage formats, JPG, PNGBest image format: JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, HEIC and GIF explainedThe best image format depends on what the picture is and where it goes. For a photo on your own website, use AVIF with WebP or JPG as the fallback. For a photo you send, use JPG. For a screenshot, a logo or anything see-through, use PNG. For animation, use WebP. We saved one photo, one card of text and one flat graphic in every format to show why.Sahadat Husain
- FormatsWebP, PNG, TransparencyWebP vs PNG: which is better? We measured 5 imagesWebP is better than PNG for images on a website. Lossless WebP kept every pixel of our 5 test images in 27% to 88% fewer bytes. PNG is better for files you edit, email or print, and for 16-bit images.Sahadat Husain
- FormatsGIF, MP4, VideoHow to turn a video into a GIF on any deviceTrim the clip, then export it as a GIF from Clipchamp, Photoshop, the Shortcuts app, your phone or a free website. Here is each route, and how to keep the file small.Sahadat Husain
- FormatsGIF, WebP, GiphyHow to save a GIF on any device and keep it movingTo save a GIF on a computer, right-click it and choose Save Image As, and keep the name ending in .gif. On a phone, touch and hold it and tap Save Image, Save to Photos or Download image. Sites like Giphy show a WebP instead, so open i.giphy.com/CODE.gif first. We measured what each site really serves.Sahadat Husain
- FormatsPDF, JPG, ConvertHow to save a PDF as a JPEG on Mac, Windows and iPhoneTo save a PDF as a JPEG on a Mac, open it in Preview, choose File, then Export, and pick JPEG. On Windows 11, take a snip with Windows logo key + Shift + S. Acrobat and an iPhone shortcut export every page at once. Pick 150 DPI for screens and 300 DPI for print.Sahadat Husain
- FormatsCMYK, RGB, ICC profileCMYK to RGB: how to convert a print file for screensTo convert CMYK to RGB, run the file's numbers through its ICC profile, not a formula. We took one photo to print CMYK and back 7 ways, and measured how far each one drifts on 2,457,600 pixels.Sahadat Husain
- FormatsGIF, Image formats, AnimationWhat does GIF stand for? Meaning, origin and file sizeGIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format, the image format CompuServe released in 1987. A GIF holds up to 256 colours and can loop short animations. We saved one 2.4-second loop 5 ways. The GIF weighed 1,539.3 KB, and the AV1 video 33.0 KB.Sahadat Husain
- FormatsPNG, Lossless, TransparencyWhat is a PNG file, and when it beats JPGA PNG file is an image saved without loss, so every pixel comes back exactly as it was stored. A PNG can also be see-through. So PNG beats JPG on logos and flat graphics, and JPG stays smaller for photos.Sahadat Husain
- FormatsJPG, JPEG, JFIFIs JPG and JPEG the same? Yes, and here is why both existIs JPG and JPEG the same? Yes. They are two names for one image format, and the file inside is identical: we saved one photo as .jpg and .jpeg and both have the same SHA-256 fingerprint. JPEG is the committee and its standard; .jpg is the three-letter form old PCs needed. Here is where each name comes from, why cameras write .JPG in capitals, and which one to use.Sahadat Husain
Formats