Wondering what is the difference between JPG vs JPEG image formats? Or want to know whether JPG and JPEG are the same? Don’t worry; we’re here to clear up your confusion.
Whether you’re into photography or are just a computer user, you must have seen the JPG and JPEG extensions in images. They are the most used image format in the digital world.
However, there has always been confusion regarding JPEG vs JPG. Hence, read this article until the end to discover the difference between JPG and JPEG.
Let’s begin!
Understanding JPG and JPEG (Introduction)
Before anything else, let’s take a closer look at two image file extensions, JPG and JPEG.
JPG is a widely used image format for digital images, created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group in 1992. It uses the “.jpg” extension.
The main reason behind its creation was to allow people to share compressed images easily. The JPG file format compresses data from the original image to make the image file more compact.
Therefore, you can convert pictures into JPG files to efficiently share them over the Internet. But remember, the higher the compression value, the higher the degradation in image quality.
However, the degradation in quality is barely noticeable for normal users.
Now, if you’re thinking about why you would use compressed images, we’ll explain it later in this article.
The JPG file format offers high resolution and supports 24-bit color. It is also relatively more compact than other image file formats like PNG or BMP.
By balancing the file size and image quality, you can adjust the compression level according to your choice.
Next, JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. JPEG images are also commonly used for digital images as they have lossy compression, which removes unnecessary or unnoticeable data.
It uses the extension “.jpeg” and is one of the users’ top choices for saving images.
Is JPG the Same as JPEG? (Explained)
Well, yes, JPG and JPEG are the same. Hence, these terms are often used interchangeably.
If so, then why two names? Why not use just one term?
Valid question! We’ll explain why.
In earlier days, Windows operating systems supported only three-character extensions for the file name. So, the users of older Windows versions used the JPG file format.
However, modern Windows operating systems like Windows 11, as well as Mac or Linux, now accept file extensions of three to four characters. Therefore, the .jpeg extension is more common.
Nevertheless, people are also habituated to JPG, and it’s still available as an option for saving the image file. That’s why JPG is still in use.
That also means JPG is necessary if you’re using an outdated Windows system. As those systems don’t support file extensions with more than three characters. In other cases, you can use JPG and JPEG interchangeably.
Now you’re aware that .jpeg and .jpg file extensions are the same; you can ignore the idea that one is superior to the other.
So, if you’re confused about saving the image in JPEG or JPG form, there won’t be any difference. It’s only a matter of labels.
However, we recommend using JPEG, as it’s the latest standard in use.
How to Convert JPG to JPEG?
Although JPG and JPEG are the same, you might need to convert JPG to JPEG in some cases. For example, conversion is necessary if you’re uploading images to some websites that accept only the JPEG file format.
So, to convert a JPG image file to a JPEG file, you can follow the steps below:
Step 1: Right-click on the image you want to convert
Step 2: Hover on Open with and click on Paint
Step 3: As the image opens on Paint, click on File at the top
Step 4: Now, hover on Save As and click on JPEG Picture
Step 5: Rename the file by adding a .jpeg extension at the end and hit the Save button
You can choose the location to save the file before clicking on the Save button. Also, you can choose the same location for both files. That’s because, after conversion, a new image file will have a different extension, i.e., .jpeg, and can co-exist with a .jpg file.
Similarly, you can follow the same steps to convert a JPEG file to JPG. But remember, in Step 5, you should rename the file by adding a .jpg extension while converting JPEG to JPG.
When to Use JPG/JPEG Images? (Best Use Cases)
In most casual cases, the size and quality difference between JPG and other popular file formats will not matter much.
But if you’re using photos to share on the internet, the JPG/JPEG format suits you best. Since JPEG images are more compact, they’re ideal for quick and easy sharing.
Besides, JPG/JPEG is suitable for:
- Photographs
- Real-world photos
- Web images
However, for web assets like logos, graphics, images with transparent backgrounds, and other pictures, the compression can be felt easily. So, it’s better not to use the JPG image file in such cases.
Also, avoid the JPG format for images with sharp illustrations, as the defined lines of such images tend to get blurred.
Hence, JPG/JPEG is not suitable for:
- Graphics
- Illustrations
- Logos
- Images with transparent backgrounds
How to Convert Other Image Files to JPG or JPEG?
Other than JPEG or JPG, more image file formats are used. Some are PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, and so on. If you have those image files, how would you convert them to JPG or JPEG? Don’t worry; we’ll talk about this as well.
Usually, the method to convert other image files to JPG or JPEG is the same as that of converting JPG to JPEG. That’s true; you can open the image in Paint and save them in JPEG format using the Save As feature.
This method also applies to other image editors, like Adobe Photoshop. In most editors, you can find the Save As tab under the File menu.
Below, we’ve shown an example of converting a PNG image to a JPG file format in Adobe Photoshop CS3 – the tenth version of Adobe Photoshop:
First of all, open the PNG image file in Adobe Photoshop CS3.
Now, go to the File tab and click on Save As.
You can now choose the JPEG extension and save the image to the desired location.
The image editor also allows you to choose the compression level for the image. A lower quality indicates a smaller file size, and vice versa.
That’s all; now you can view the new image file with the JPG extension in the location where you saved the file. Similarly, you can convert the other image file into a JPG format.
You can also use online tools or software like IMGCandy, Convertio, and so on to convert image files to JPG or JPEG. Most of the tools are free, while some require a fee.
JPG vs PNG – What’s the Difference?
Now that we’ve mentioned PNG a number of times, you may be wondering about its difference from JPG. Let’s discuss that.
Just like JPG, PNG is also a widely used image file format.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) files were created in the 1990s as a replacement for Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) files. This was a huge advancement in those days, as PNG could offer many shades and hues with higher resolution.
PNG uses a “.png” file extension and is lossless compression. And that’s the main difference between PNG and JPG, as JPG is lossy compression.
Lossless compression is the one that undergoes compression by producing an image almost identical to the original image.
Therefore, it’s a relatively high-quality graphics format as compared to JPG. Additionally, PNG handles detailed and high-contrast images without affecting the original quality.
As you’ve read almost everything about JPG above, let’s conclude JPG vs PNG. A simple rule of thumb is that JPG is best for storing ideal-world photographs with many colors. Also, it’s suitable for images where some loss in quality wouldn’t affect you much.
On the other hand, PNG is best for storing line art, images with a transparent background like logos, and graphics in small sizes.
What is Image Compression? Why is it Necessary?
After all the details about JPG, you might be thinking of using JPG images on your site. However, you should also compress the JPG/JPEG images before using them on the websites. Here’s why.
Although JPG/JPEG images are already compressed, you can further compress them. That’s because images are larger than plain text. As a result, it takes longer for the images to load on your website, slowing down your site.
You could use only plain text to speed up your website, but adding images makes your site more engaging. As you might have heard, the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
On the other hand, speed is an important aspect of every website. Whether for SEO ranking or user experience, a website with faster speed benefits from both. However, your site may also be penalized for taking longer to load.
Therefore, you’re left with the only option, i.e., compressing and using the images on your site.
Image optimization is a must if you own a WordPress site or any other website. It has little to no effect on image quality. It also makes the page speed fast and helps create a faster website.
You can compress the images before or after uploading them to your website. If you want to compress and use the image on your website, you can use free online tools like TinyPNG.
For instance, below, you can see that this tool compressed a 50.6 KB image file to 14.5 KB.
Besides, there are plenty of image compression plugins available for WordPress websites. Some good examples are Smush, Imagify, Optimole, etc.
Many such plugins are available for free from the WordPress repository, while others require a premium version.
Wrapping It Up!
That’s all for now regarding JPEG vs JPG. We’re confident that now you know JPG and JPEG are the two abbreviations for the same thing, and the only difference is the number of letters in their names.
JPG file format was needed when the operating system supported only a 3-letter extension and was shortened from JPEG to JPG. But technically, JPG is the JPEG and vice versa.
Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether you call it JPEG or JPG; they are used to reduce image file size for efficient web viewing and are the most common file formats in the digital world.
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