What is a JPEG?

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a widely used image format for digital photos and web graphics. It uses lossy compression, which reduces file sizes but partly limits image detail. JPEG is particularly suitable for images with many colours and soft transitions – such as photographs. Thanks to its compatibility with almost all devices and applications, JPEG is a standard format in web design, digital communication and image archiving.

Synonyms

JPG, image file format, photo format, compressed image, digital photo format, raster image, JPEG file, web image format, lossy format, image compression

Related entry

Imagery