Image File Formats Explained (A Simple Guide)
JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, HEIC, SVG, BMP, TIFF, RAW... There are a lot of image formats. This guide explains what each one is, what the letters stand for, and which one to pick.
The Two Families: Raster and Vector
Every image format belongs to one of two families:
- Raster images are grids of pixels. Photos and screenshots are raster. JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF, HEIC, BMP, TIFF and RAW are all raster formats.
- Vector images are shapes described by math. They stay sharp at any size. SVG, AI, EPS and many PDFs are vector formats.
Most of what you'll handle day to day is raster. For a deeper look at vectors, see What is an SVG file?
Image Formats at a Glance
| Format | Stands for | Type | Compression | Transparency | Animation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPG / JPEG | Joint Photographic Experts Group | Raster | Lossy | No | No | Photos |
| PNG | Portable Network Graphics | Raster | Lossless | Yes | No | Graphics, screenshots, logos |
| GIF | Graphics Interchange Format | Raster | Lossless (256 colors) | Basic | Yes | Simple animations |
| WebP | Web Picture (by Google) | Raster | Both | Yes | Yes | Websites |
| AVIF | AV1 Image File Format | Raster | Both | Yes | Yes | Websites (smallest files) |
| HEIC / HEIF | High Efficiency Image Container / Format | Raster | Lossy | Yes | Yes (bursts) | iPhone photos |
| BMP | Bitmap | Raster | None | No | No | Old Windows software |
| TIFF / TIF | Tagged Image File Format | Raster | None or lossless | Yes | No (multi-page) | Scans, printing, archives |
| RAW (CR2, NEF, ARW, DNG…) | Raw sensor data | Raster | Lossless/none | No | No | Professional photo editing |
| SVG | Scalable Vector Graphics | Vector | — | Yes | Yes | Logos, icons, illustrations |
| ICO | Icon | Raster | Lossless | Yes | No | Favicons, Windows icons |
The Most Common Formats in Plain Words
JPG (JPEG)
The everyday photo format. It makes photos small by throwing away detail you can barely see. Every device and website supports it. JPG and JPEG are the same thing. Here's why there are two names.
PNG
Lossless and sharp, with full transparency. Perfect for logos, screenshots and graphics with text. Not ideal for photos, because the files get big. PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics. Compare it with JPG in JPG vs PNG.
GIF
The old-school animation format from 1987. It only supports 256 colors, so photos look grainy, but it plays everywhere. Great for short reactions and memes.
WebP and AVIF
Modern web formats that make images much smaller than JPG and PNG. WebP is supported almost everywhere online. AVIF is newer and even smaller. Read What is WebP? and What is AVIF?
HEIC
Apple's photo format, used by iPhones. High quality at half the size of a JPG, but many apps and websites can't open it. Here's how to open or convert HEIC files.
BMP
A bitmap file stores every pixel with no compression. That makes BMP files huge. It's mostly used by old Windows programs and some hardware. Convert it with our BMP to JPG converter.
TIFF
A high-quality format for scanning, printing and archives. It can hold multiple pages and keeps every detail, but files are very large. Convert scans with TIFF to JPG or TIFF to PDF.
RAW
RAW files (like Canon CR2, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW and DNG) store the camera sensor's data before processing. They're ideal for editing but huge and hard to share. Turn them into shareable photos with our RAW to JPG converter.
SVG
A vector format written in code. Logos and icons in SVG stay sharp at any size. Convert it with SVG to PNG.
Lossy vs Lossless
Formats also differ in how they compress:
- Lossy (JPG, most WebP, AVIF, HEIC) throws away some detail to make files small.
- Lossless (PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, lossless WebP) keeps every pixel exactly.
Our guide Lossy vs Lossless Compression explains the trade-off.
Which Image Format Should You Use?
| You want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Share or upload a photo | JPG |
| Save a logo, icon or screenshot | PNG (or SVG for logos) |
| Put images on a website | WebP (or AVIF) |
| Make a simple animation | GIF (or MP4 for long clips) |
| Print or archive a scan | TIFF or PDF |
| Edit photos professionally | RAW |
| Make a website favicon | ICO |
Need to switch formats? Our image converter handles all of them in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common image file formats?
JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, HEIC, SVG, BMP and TIFF.
What does PNG stand for?
Portable Network Graphics.
What does JPEG stand for?
Joint Photographic Experts Group, the committee that created the format.
What is a BMP file?
A bitmap image that stores every pixel without compression. BMP files are large and mainly used by older Windows software.
What is the best image format?
There isn't one best format. JPG is best for photos, PNG for graphics, WebP for websites and SVG for logos.
What is the difference between raster and vector?
Raster images are made of pixels and blur when enlarged. Vector images are made of shapes and stay sharp at any size.
Helpful Guides
JPG vs PNG: Which Format Should You Use?The real difference between JPG and PNG, and when to pick each one.
What Is a WebP File? (And How to Open or Convert It)Why so many images save as .webp, and how to open or convert them.
What Is a HEIC File? (And How to Open One Anywhere)Why your iPhone saves HEIC photos, and how to open them on any device.
What Is an SVG File? (Vector Images Explained)Vector vs raster in plain English, plus how to open and convert SVG.
Lossy vs Lossless Compression (Explained Simply)How lossy and lossless compression work, and which to choose.