Evidence guide
PNG, JPG, WebP, or AVIF: choose by workflow, not hype
A format decision guide based on transparency, editing, compatibility, photographic detail, and who controls the destination.
There is no universal winner
Image formats optimize different constraints. The best archive format may not be the best delivery format, and the smallest download may be inconvenient for a colleague using older software. Choose from the requirements that cannot change: transparency, animation, editability, browser or application support, and acceptable quality loss.
Keep a high-quality master separately from delivery copies. A PNG or original camera file can feed several exports without forcing future work to start from an already compressed derivative.
PNG and JPEG are dependable baselines
PNG uses lossless compression and supports partial transparency. It excels at screenshots, interface graphics, diagrams, logos, and text-heavy images. Its weakness is photographic size: preserving every pixel exactly can produce a large file.
JPEG is designed for continuous-tone photographs and is accepted nearly everywhere. It trades detail for size and has no transparency. Use it when broad compatibility matters and the image does not need an alpha channel or repeated editing.
WebP and AVIF are delivery formats to test
WebP supports lossy and lossless encoding plus transparency. Current browsers handle it well, making it useful for websites and web applications. Before sending WebP through email, office software, or an external marketplace, verify that the receiving application accepts it.
AVIF can store transparency and modern color information with efficient compression. Encoding can take longer, and compatibility outside current browsers varies by application. It is strongest when you control the serving pipeline and can provide a fallback where required.
Decision checklist
For each destination, answer four questions: Does the image require transparency? Is it photographic or graphic? Will someone edit it again? Which browsers or applications must open it? Then export two candidates and compare actual size and appearance rather than relying on a generic percentage.
- Logo or interface graphic: PNG, or WebP after compatibility testing.
- Photo sent to an unknown recipient: JPEG.
- Photo served by a website you control: compare WebP and AVIF with a fallback strategy.
- Editable master: retain the original or lossless working file.