Image File Formats for Web and Print

AVIF can provide very efficient compression for modern web images. It is useful when performance matters and your delivery stack supports it.

Use AVIF for:

• modern responsive websites;
• image-heavy landing pages;
• performance-sensitive pages where compatibility is handled.

Avoid AVIF if your target platform, CMS, printer or user workflow does not accept it.

JPEG is usually the safest choice for normal photographs. It compresses photo detail well and is widely accepted by websites, social platforms and print labs.

Use JPEG for:

• camera photos;
• product photos without transparency;
• photo print uploads;
• blog and web images where transparency is not needed;
• social media posts when the platform accepts JPEG.

Avoid JPEG when:

• you need transparent background;
• the image is mostly text or UI lines;
• you need lossless editing across many export rounds.

PNG is useful when an image needs transparency, crisp edges or more precise reproduction than JPEG.

Use PNG for:

• screenshots;
• transparent logos;
• interface images;
• diagrams;
• images with sharp text or flat-color areas.

Avoid PNG for large photographic web images unless you specifically need transparency or lossless detail.

WebP is a strong web format because it often creates smaller files than JPEG or PNG while preserving good visual quality. It can support transparency and animation.

Use WebP for:

• website images;
• thumbnails;
• compressed photo galleries;
• performance-sensitive pages.

Check platform compatibility before using WebP for uploads outside your own site.

SVG is a vector format. It is ideal for shapes that should stay sharp at any size.

Use SVG for:

• icons;
• simple logos;
• diagrams;
• template guides;
• measurement overlays;
• UI illustrations.

Do not use SVG for normal photographs.

PDF is often the right handoff format for print, documents and templates. It can preserve page size, vectors, text and print settings when exported correctly.

Use PDF for:

• print-ready documents;
• templates;
• brochures;
• flyers;
• forms;
• vector artwork handoff.

Check printer requirements for bleed, crop marks, color settings and PDF preset.

A larger file is not automatically better. The right file is the one that preserves enough visible quality for the final use without unnecessary weight.

For web pages, oversized images can slow the page. For print, overly compressed images can show artifacts. For templates, vector PDF or SVG may stay sharper than a raster image.