JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, or AVIF?

The best format depends on what the image contains and where it will be used. Here is the practical version.

Start with the problem you need to solve

• An app refuses WebP: use PNG for graphics and transparency, or JPG for photos.
• A form rejects an iPhone photo: convert HEIC to JPG.
• A page loads heavy photos: try JPG to WebP and resize to the dimensions you actually need.
• A downloaded AVIF will not open: make a JPG copy, or PNG if it contains transparency.

JPG: best for compatible photographs

JPG makes photos compact and widely compatible. It does not support transparency.

Convert JPG to WebP

PNG: best for graphics and transparency

PNG preserves sharp edges and transparent pixels without lossy compression. It is ideal for logos, screenshots, and editing.

Convert PNG to JPG

WebP: a broadly supported web format

WebP offers strong compression for photos and graphics and can preserve transparency.

Convert WebP to PNG

HEIC: efficient iPhone photography

HEIC stores high-quality photos efficiently but is not accepted by every app or upload form. FormatSprout accepts HEIC and HEIF as input formats.

Convert HEIC to JPG

AVIF: compact next-generation images

AVIF can produce very small photo and graphic files while preserving transparency. Encoding may take longer than JPG or WebP, especially on mobile devices.

Convert JPG to AVIF

A simple rule

• Use JPG for universally compatible photographs.
• Use PNG for lossless graphics and editing.
• Use WebP for a balance of web compression and compatibility.
• Use HEIC for efficient capture in compatible Apple workflows.
• Use AVIF when maximum web compression is worth slower encoding.

Conversion is not always compression

Changing format does not guarantee a smaller file. A PNG made from a WebP photograph may be much larger because PNG stores the rendered pixels losslessly. That does not recover detail previously lost to compression. For a website, compare the output size and inspect the actual downloaded image before replacing your original.

Quality percentages are encoder settings, not a percentage of retained image detail. An 82% WebP and an 82% AVIF are not directly comparable. Even 100% on a lossy encoder is not a promise of a lossless copy.

Keep an original when details matter

FormatSprout creates a new still image. It does not preserve animations, Live Photo motion, embedded EXIF, or all HDR and color-profile information. Keep source files for archival use and professional editing. Read exactly how local conversion works.

All available conversions

Practical guides

Convert WebP without losing a transparent background

Share iPhone HEIC photos without uploading them to a converter