PNG, JPEG, WebP, and AVIF
Last updated: 2026-08-16
How ImageRecrop chooses PNG, JPEG, WebP, and AVIF, when transparency survives, and how the max file size control lowers JPEG quality until the file fits.
What the exporter actually writes
ImageRecrop encodes the finished bitmap in your chosen format at the width, height, and quality you set. It does not upload the file to a conversion API. If a format is missing from the menu, your browser cannot encode it. AVIF is the usual example: some browsers expose the encoder, others do not. The app hides AVIF when the encoder is missing instead of failing on download.
Quality applies to JPEG, WebP, and AVIF. PNG ignores the quality slider because it is lossless. Raising PNG quality does nothing; lowering it does nothing either.
The output panel shows a live size estimate for the current crop and quality. Treat it as a guide: the downloaded blob can differ by a few kilobytes after the final encode. Batch ZIP export uses the same format, quality, and max KB settings for every image in the queue.
Format comparison
| Format | Transparency | Quality slider | Best for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNG | Yes | No | Logos, circle avatars, screenshots, fit-mode padding | Files get large at 2000px and above |
| JPEG | No | Yes | Photos, Amazon and Etsy listing shots, email headers | Corners of a circle crop become a solid color |
| WebP | Yes | Yes | Web graphics that need a smaller file than JPEG or PNG | A few older apps still reject it |
| AVIF | Yes, when encoded | Yes | Modern sites that already serve AVIF | The option appears only if the browser can encode it |
How max file size works
The max KB field is not a container trick. On export, ImageRecrop encodes JPEG (or the selected lossy format) and, if the blob is still over the limit, lowers quality and encodes again until the file is at or under the target, or until quality cannot drop further.
That is why the compress preset starts at 1200 by 1200 JPEG with a 200 KB cap. If you keep PNG selected, the cap cannot shrink the file by reducing quality. Switch to JPEG or WebP first, then set the KB limit.
If the export is still too large after quality bottoms out, reduce width and height. A 3840 by 2160 wallpaper will not fit in 200 KB at any JPEG quality that still looks like a photo.
Practical picks inside this editor
Photos for Instagram, YouTube, or a marketplace: JPEG at high quality, or WebP if the destination accepts it. Use the live file size estimate in the output panel before you download.
Circle avatars and fit-mode logos: PNG, unless you have confirmed the destination accepts WebP with alpha.
Display ads at 300 by 250, 728 by 90, or 160 by 600: JPEG or PNG depending on whether the creative is a photo or flat artwork. Those canvases are small, so PNG is often still a reasonable size.
4K wallpaper: JPEG. PNG at 3840 by 2160 is a multi-megabyte download for no visible gain on a photograph.
- Need a transparent background: PNG or WebP, never JPEG.
- Need a hard KB limit: JPEG or WebP plus the max file size field.
- Need the smallest modern file and the menu shows AVIF: try AVIF, then fall back to WebP if the destination does not accept it.
Related presets
Open compress to a file size, export as WebP, or export as AVIF to start with those formats already selected. The rest of the editor is the same crop tool.