What is a JPEG XL file?
JPEG XL gets photos smaller than JPG with no visible difference, and it can shrink a JPG you already have without losing anything at all. Support is still patchy, so it suits storing pictures more than sharing them. You can convert JPEG XL files here, both into the format and out of it.
Specification
| Full name | JPEG XL |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .jxl |
| Media type | image/jxl |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode |
| Transparency | Supported |
| Animation | Supported |
| Multiple pages | — |
| Colour depth | Up to 32 bits per channel, HDR |
| Size limits | — |
| Introduced | 2021 |
| Developed by | JPEG Committee |
| Standard | Open |
| Browser support | Some browsers only |
What JPEG XL is used for
- Keeping a perfect copy where PNG would be too large
- Losslessly shrinking an existing JPEG library
- Photography where subtle tones and bright highlights matter
- Progressive delivery of very large images
Strengths and limitations
What JPEG XL does well
- Excellent quality for the file size, whichever mode you use
- Can recompress existing JPEGs losslessly and reverse the process
- Shows a usable image before the whole file has arrived
Where JPEG XL falls short
- Browser support is still inconsistent and politically contested
- Few editors and operating systems open it without a plugin
- Getting the best out of it takes more than one quality slider
Convert JPEG XL to
Every target this format can be written out as, each on its own page.
Convert to JPEG XL
Everything that can be turned into a JPEG XL file.
Questions about JPEG XL
What is a .jxl file?
JPEG XL gets photos smaller than JPG with no visible difference, and it can shrink a JPG you already have without losing anything at all. The extension .jxl identifies it, and its media type is image/jxl.
How do I open a JPEG XL file?
Browsers do not display JPEG XL natively, so you either need software that understands it or you convert it to something more common first. Converting is usually the faster route when you only need to look at the contents once.
Is JPEG XL lossy or lossless?
Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode. Check which mode a particular file used before assuming anything about its quality.
What is JPEG XL good for?
Excellent quality for the file size, whichever mode you use. Can recompress existing JPEGs losslessly and reverse the process. Shows a usable image before the whole file has arrived. In practice that makes it a good fit for keeping a perfect copy where PNG would be too large, and Losslessly shrinking an existing JPEG library.
What are the drawbacks of JPEG XL?
Browser support is still inconsistent and politically contested. Few editors and operating systems open it without a plugin. Getting the best out of it takes more than one quality slider.