JPG (JPEG) Format
The universal photo format: small files, supported everywhere, but no transparency.
What is JPG?
JPG (or JPEG) is a lossy image format designed for photographs. It divides the image into 8 × 8 pixel blocks and discards detail the eye barely notices, which makes files 5–20× smaller than uncompressed images.
When to use JPG
Use JPG when compatibility matters most:
- photos for email and documents
- upload forms that only accept JPG
- printing services
- websites that must support very old browsers
When not to use JPG
JPG does not support transparency and blurs sharp edges in text, logos and screenshots. Use PNG or WebP for graphics, and WebP or AVIF when you want smaller photos on modern websites.
Best quality settings
Quality 75–85 is the sweet spot for the web. Use 90+ for printing and archiving. Re-saving a JPG many times adds artifacts, so always start from the original.