The complete 2025 guide to image formats — when to use PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF or SVG.
The short answer
Photos → JPG or WebP. Screenshots and logos → PNG. Modern web → WebP. Vector graphics → SVG. That is 90% of use cases.
PNG
Lossless, supports transparency, large file size. Best for logos, UI screenshots, graphics with text, and anything you will edit repeatedly.
JPG
Lossy, tiny file size, no transparency. Best for photos. Quality 80 is visually identical to quality 100 but half the size.
WebP
Modern format by Google. Lossy and lossless plus transparency. Typically 25–35% smaller than JPG at the same quality.
When to use which
For most websites, WebP is the right default. Fall back to JPG for maximum compatibility and PNG for transparency.