What should I use to keep image quality high but file sizes low?

To keep image quality high while file sizes stay low, use the right format and settings:

Best formats

• WebP: usually the best balance for web images
• AVIF: often even smaller than WebP, but slower to encode and not as universally compatible
• JPEG: good for photos if you need broad compatibility
• PNG: best for graphics with transparency, but usually larger

General advice

• Photos: use WebP or AVIF
• Transparent images/logos: use WebP or PNG if needed
• Simple graphics/icons: use SVG when possible
• Avoid saving as JPEG at very high quality if file size matters a lot

Good quality/compression settings

• For JPEG/WebP lossy, start around:
  • 70–85% quality
• For AVIF, you can often go lower and still look good
• For PNG, reduce colors or use optimization tools since PNG is lossless

Extra ways to reduce size

• Resize images to the actual display size
• Strip unnecessary metadata
• Use image optimization tools like:
  • Squoosh
  • TinyPNG
  • ImageMagick
  • Sharp for automation

If you want, I can recommend the best format for your specific use case (website, app, print, social media, etc.).