JPG vs PNG vs WebP vs AVIF: Which Image Format Should You Use?

Guide • 8–10 min read • Written by EasyPDF Studio

You’ve saved a picture, gone to upload it, and now you’re staring at four different options: .jpg, .png, .webp and .avif. Some sites even refuse the file completely.

This guide walks through what each format is good at, when to pick which one, and how to convert between them using the free tools on EasyPDF Studio.

Short answer:

JPG – best default for photos and uploads.
PNG – best for logos, screenshots and transparency.
WebP – good for web performance when the platform supports it.
AVIF – very small and high quality, but not supported everywhere.

Quick comparison: JPG, PNG, WebP and AVIF

Format	Best for	File size	Transparency?	Support
JPG / JPEG	Photos, social media, most uploads	Small–medium	No	✅ Supported almost everywhere
PNG	Logos, UI, screenshots, text-heavy images	Medium–large	Yes	✅ Supported everywhere
WebP	Websites and apps that care about speed	Smaller than JPG/PNG	Yes	✅ Good support, but some older tools still struggling
AVIF	Modern web and storage when supported	Very small	Yes	⚠️ Not accepted on many older sites yet

When to use JPG

JPG is still the safest default for most everyday images. It works well when:

You’re uploading a photo to a job portal, marketplace or form.
You’re sharing holiday photos or product shots.
You need small file sizes but don’t care about perfect pixel quality.

The main downside is that text and sharp edges can look a little fuzzy, and it doesn’t support transparency.

When to use PNG

PNG is ideal when you need clean edges and transparency:

Logos with transparent backgrounds.
Screenshots of apps, websites or error messages.
Simple graphics, icons and UI elements.

PNG files are often larger than JPGs, but they look sharper for this kind of content.

When to use WebP

WebP is a newer format designed for the web. You’ll usually see it when:

You’re downloading images from modern websites.
You’re working with a CMS or website builder that talks about performance.
You want smaller files without a big visual quality drop.

Most current browsers understand WebP, but some older tools and offline software still expect JPG or PNG. If a site refuses WebP, you can convert the image first.

When to use AVIF

AVIF is even more efficient than WebP. It can keep images looking sharp with very small file sizes. It’s great for:

Storing lots of images on your device or server.
Modern websites and apps that explicitly support AVIF.
High-quality graphics where file size still matters.

The problem: many forms, portals and older tools don’t recognise AVIF yet, which is when you see “file type not supported”.

Which format is safest for uploads?

If you just want your upload to work first time, use:

JPG for normal photos.
PNG for logos, screenshots and transparency.
PDF if the site clearly asks for a document instead of an image.

WebP and AVIF are brilliant behind the scenes, but for important applications (jobs, housing, government forms) it’s usually safer to convert to JPG, PNG or PDF first.

How to convert AVIF or HEIC images to safer formats

If your phone or browser has saved images as AVIF or HEIC and a site refuses them, you can use the image tools on EasyPDF Studio:

AVIF to PNG AVIF → PNG
Turn AVIF images into standard PNG files that upload almost anywhere.
HEIC to JPG HEIC → JPG
Convert iPhone HEIC photos into regular JPGs for older websites.

Once you have PNG or JPG versions, most upload errors disappear.

How to turn images into a single PDF

Some portals only let you upload one PDF, even though you have several images (ID, bills, certificates, etc.). You can combine everything into one document using:

JPG/PNG to PDF Images → PDF
Select multiple images and convert them into a single PDF with one page per image.
If the final PDF is too big, run it through Compress PDF to shrink the file size.

How to go from PDF back to images

Sometimes you need an image version of a page (for example, to upload a single page of a scanned PDF). In that case use:

PDF to JPG PDF → JPG
Turn individual pages into image files you can upload where PDFs aren’t allowed.

Putting it all together

You don’t have to memorise every technical detail about image formats. Just remember:

JPG for photos.
PNG for logos, screenshots and transparency.
WebP / AVIF for modern sites that clearly support them.
PDF when forms and portals ask for documents.

When a site refuses your file or shows “file type not supported”, convert once using AVIF to PNG, HEIC to JPG or JPG/PNG to PDF, then upload the safer version.

For more help with upload issues, you can also read:

← Back to all articles