Choosing the wrong format can make a photo blurry, a logo ugly or a file too large to upload. Here is a plain guide.
| Format | Transparency | File size | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPG | No | Small | Photos, online forms, email |
| PNG | Yes | Large | Logos, screenshots, signatures |
| WebP | Yes | Smaller than JPG | Websites |
| AVIF | Yes | Smallest | Modern websites |
| GIF | Basic | Medium | Simple graphics, up to 256 colours |
| TIFF | Yes | Very large | Print and archives |
| HEIC | Yes | Small | iPhone photos; often not accepted online |
| No | Varies | Documents to send or print |
Quick rules
- Government or job form? Use JPG unless it says otherwise.
- Need a see-through background? Use PNG.
- Building a website? Use WebP or AVIF.
- Sending several pages? Use PDF.
- iPhone photo rejected? Convert HEIC to JPG.
Lossy and lossless
JPG, WebP and AVIF throw away details the eye barely notices, which makes files small. Each new save loses a little more, so always keep your original. PNG and TIFF keep every pixel.
Ayub Khan Khattak
Founder of HAYAQR, HayaConverter, HayaCV, HayaInvoice and HayaPhoto. Builds free, privacy-first tools for students, job seekers, families and small businesses in Pakistan and beyond.