What is JPG?
JPG (or JPEG) is the most widely used image format in the world. Developed in 1992 by the Joint Photographic Experts Group, it uses lossy compression to significantly reduce file sizes while maintaining acceptable visual quality.
The format excels at compressing photographs and images with smooth color gradients. When you save a JPG, the algorithm discards some image data that's less noticeable to the human eye, achieving compression ratios of 10:1 or higher.
When to use JPG
JPG is the right choice when you need:
- → Small file sizes — Photos compress well with minimal visible quality loss
- → Universal compatibility — Every device and application supports JPG
- → Web and email — Fast loading times and easy sharing
- → Photographs — Natural scenes, portraits, and complex imagery
Limitations
JPG isn't ideal for every situation:
- × No transparency — JPG doesn't support alpha channels. Use PNG instead.
- × Lossy artifacts — Sharp edges, text, and flat colors can show visible compression artifacts
- × Quality degrades on re-save — Each save compounds compression losses
- × Not for graphics — Logos, icons, and diagrams are better as PNG or SVG
Technical specifications
Color depth
24-bit color (16.7 million colors)
Compression
DCT-based lossy compression
Transparency
Not supported
Metadata
EXIF, IPTC, XMP supported
File extensions
.jpg, .jpeg, .jpe, .jif, .jfif
MIME type
image/jpeg
Convert JPG
Convert JPG images to other formats or convert other formats to JPG.
Convert JPG to other formats
Add transparency support
Smaller file size for web
Smallest file size
Convert to JPG
Quality settings
When saving JPG images, you can adjust the quality level (typically 0-100):
Minimal compression, largest file size. Good for archiving or further editing.
Good balance of quality and file size. Ideal for most uses.
Noticeable quality loss but much smaller files. OK for thumbnails.