How to use the web image format picker
Choosing between JPEG, PNG, WebP and AVIF feels unsettled every time because the answer does not live in the format name. It lives in a combination of five conditions. This page takes those five — what kind of image it is, whether it needs transparency, whether it moves, whether the pixels must stay untouched, and whether legacy browsers are in scope — and returns a first choice, a second choice and a fallback, together with every reason that went into the pick. Flip a single answer and the result changes, which is the point.
The decision leans only on documented format capabilities. JPEG carries no transparency, GIF holds just 1-bit alpha, SVG needs a vector source to exist, and PNG and lossless WebP preserve the original pixels. Browser support, by contrast, keeps moving, so verify it against public compatibility references such as MDN and Can I Use rather than trusting a snapshot (checked October 2026).
This tool does not estimate file-size savings. Byte counts swing by multiples with image content, resolution and encoder settings, so the only reliable comparison is exporting your actual file both ways. It also does not cover color management, gamut conversion or quality-slider values. Treat the recommendation as a general web-delivery starting point: if you are uploading to a specific platform, check that platform's own accepted-format documentation first.
Frequently asked questions
On browsers that cannot decode it the image simply fails to appear, which is why the tool always names a fallback and why the markup example uses a picture element. If you really can only publish one file, switch legacy support to yes and read the result again.
Because that number is not knowable in advance. The same format lands multiples apart depending on image content, resolution and encoder settings, so any fixed savings figure is guesswork. Exporting your own file both ways is the only trustworthy comparison.
Only when you hold the vector source. If all you have is a logo that was already flattened to pixels, re-saving it as SVG does not recover detail, so pick the illustration or flat graphic option instead.