JPG vs JPEG: Is JPG the Same as JPEG? Factors to Consider

While dealing with the images, website owners generally come across multiple image file formats all the time. However, you do not have to be an image expert but you must have come across the two popular image file formats, JPG and JPEG, that you are often confused about two. You might have also circulated a question in your mind “Is JPG the same as JPEG?”

In this post, we will provide you with an ultimate showdown between jpg vs jpeg, so that it helps you to better understand the main differences and other important details that help you to choose the right image format for your website.

In addition to that, we will also cover some of the latest and most advanced image file formats, that are practiced now as the best alternative to JPG and JPEG. That’s all, let us get started!



What is JPEG?

JPEG is a very popular and widely used image file format that you must see while editing or uploading images. But in general, it is referred to as three different things:

  • JPEG is a Joint Photographic Experts Group
  • JPEG as an Image File format
  • JPEG is a type of lossy compression

JPEG is a Joint Photographic Experts Group

JPEG full form joint Photographic Experts Group is the name of a committee that was responsible for creating JPEG as a standard for images as well as other pictures or photographs under the very large group called ISO.

In the year 1983, ISO (International Organization of Standardization) has been rigorously working on various methods to put images or graphics on computer screens. Its members are from more than 160 countries that contribute to becoming the world’s largest standards developer.

In addition to that, this organization also helps to create various documents that consist of all the protocols or guidelines, specifications, essential requirements, and characteristics that can be used as a resource for others to make sure that whatever the services or products are served to be valid and fit.

So, in the year 1992, JPEG was created as a new standard that would revolutionize images by giving consumers the highest quality of digital photos possible.

JPEG as an Image File Format

JPEG is a typical image file format that stores and saves digital images. It is so popular and widely recognized now that it has become one of the topmost file format or extension choices that the majority of users prefer to save an image.

MS Paint
MS Paint

Some of JPEG’s amazing facts you must know:

  • The majority of digital cameras and other image processing devices use JPEG as their default image file format.
  • It can display more than 16 million colors altogether.
  • It can reduce the actual image size by up to 75% while saving the file.
  • Uses 8 Bit, RGB color model to produce 16 million colors.

JPEG is a type of Lossy compression

Image size is always considered one of the most important points when uploading an image to the web. It is because the size of an image has a major impact on the website speed as well as storage. When you upload a larger image file, not only does it waste your online resources but also takes a lot of time for browsers to load the website.

Hence, it has become important for website owners to optimize their website images so that they should not compromise the image’s quality visibly and reduce the loading time as much as possible.

This is where JPEG is used and, in this process, the file size is permanently reduced by removing all the unnecessary file information in the image. Due to this, the quality of the image remains the same visibly.

Here are some points you must consider about lossy compression in JPEG:

  • During compression, each pixel is compared to its surrounding pixels in a ratio ranging from 2:1 and goes up to 100:1. Due to this all the other pixels that are the same as the original will get eliminated or removed.
  • The final file size of the compressed image will be less compared to the original. It is due to the permanent removal of unnecessary image information being removed.
  • The image quality after compression will also get reduced but it won’t be easy to detect visibly unless or until you are a pro site visitor.
  • JPEG file format is widely used in Digital photographs.
  • The more you save and edit the photographs or pictures, the quality of the image will be reduced.
  • Apart from reducing the image quality, the most beneficial thing it can do to your website is, increases overall website performance and user experience.

In case you do not want to compress your images and consider uploading a full-size image to your website but still want your website to have the best performance. Choose Fully Managed WordPress Optimized hosting such as WPOven, which offers the Fastest and fully managed VPS hosting with Fully WordPress optimized servers and Fast loading time.

In addition to that, with JPEG you can further enhance the performance of the website by optimizing images and reducing the overall file size in the best possible way without compromising on quality.


Read: 🚩 Top 5 Image Optimizer Plugins for Improved Website Speed and SEO


What is JPG?

Technically, JPG and JPEG both are completely the same, the only difference between them may sound funny is the letter “E” or the total number of characters. You can also understand it as JPG is a synonym of JPEG, that’s it.

But why does it have two names? let us Explain!

The name JPG exists due to certain limitations or restrictions that were there in the earlier Windows Operating System versions.

In the earlier versions of Windows such as MS-DOS 8.3 and FAT-16 files, systems cannot use only three letters in file extension names. Whereas in UNIX and MAC OS there was no such kind of restrictions were imposed and they were allowed to use “.JPEG“.

But when time passes by and newer versions of Windows were released, it finally accepted more characters in file extensions and also started to use. JPEG along with .jpg file extensions.

This is what the JPG file extension looks like on your Windows PC.

JPG file extension
JPG file extension

You will find both the file extensions JPEG as well as JPG present by default in various editing tools and also easily convertible. But it won’t affect the image quality and the image will remain the same.
The JPG file extension is a result of necessity and certain limitations or restrictions, but still, it is widely used and has become one of the most common file formats other than PNG and JPEG.

No matter what you would like to call it, either JPG or JPEG file. One thing is sure, these types of image formats have completely revolutionized the digital world. It lets users compress the actual image size into smaller file sizes in a very easy and convenient way without compromising visible quality. Also, it helps users to optimize their website and enhance their website performance as well as user experience.


JPG Vs JPEG: What Are the Differences and Similarities?

While saving or uploading an image to the website, you might doubt these JPG and JPEG. Anyone would get confused between these two. As we have already mentioned in the above sections, both these file formats are the same thing, but to make things clearer to you, we bring you a complete showdown between JPG vs JPEG and check out their differences and similarities.

JPG vs JPEG: Differences

As we have also mentioned earlier many times, JPG and JPEG are the same things but with just a difference in the number of characters in their extension names. This means you can choose whatever file format between JPG or JPEG, there would be no difference you will find.

JPG vs JPEG: Similarities

1. Both are not Vectors but Raster Images

There are mainly two types of computer graphics you will find, vector and Raster. Raster images are made up of small pixel grids when combined altogether to create a complete image.

Hence, a Raster is a combination of multiple pixels or tiny square boxes of different colors, when you put them, all together form a clear complete image.

Let us learn more about Raster as well as Vector images:

Raster Images

  • Raster images are the most suitable for photographs, scanned images, and detailed image artwork.
  • These are one of the most common types of images you would find on the entire internet.
  • Since they are formed by combining countless pixels, you may suffer picture quality issues when the image is enlarged or expanded.
  • They are measured in dpi which is dots per inch.
  • The more dpi is, the better image quality and resolution will be.
  • Raster images have become standardized by ISO, which means they are widely accepted and used all over the internet.
  • Both JPG and JPEG are raster types of images.

Vector Images

  • Pictures or graphics are based on critical mathematical formulas that form different geometric shapes such as polygons, curves, points, and lines.
  • Best suitable for straight line edges, and flat and uniformly colored images.
  • Since the images do not rely on pixels, you can enlarge images or make them smaller, the quality will remain the same.
  • Logo designs and Fonts are some of the best examples of Vector Images.

2. Both Possess the Same Meaning and the Same Type of Images

As we have mentioned earlier many times, JPEG and JPG are the same but with only differences in the number of letters. It is all due to certain limitations in Microsoft’s earlier versions, but they both stood for the Joint Photographic Expert Group and were introduced by the same ISO sub-committee.

Since both the image formats JPG and JPEG are raster images the type of images will also be the same. For example, if JPEG format is best suitable for still or digital photographs, then it is also suitable for JPG format. This means that no matter which image format you use for your website (either JPG or JPEG), the image will always appear beautiful.

3. Both Show Degradation in Picture Quality When Saved

Since there is no point in comparing JPG vs JPEG because both are the same thing), whatever one has the advantage or disadvantage it will also be valid for the other one.

For example, when you try to compress the same picture in different file formats either JPG or JPEG, the quality of the picture will be reduced and it will be a lossy compression in both ways.

This means no matter whatever file format or extension you use (either JPG or JPEG), the final image after compression will be smaller in size as compared to the original one, as a result when you upload compressed images to the web, the website loading time will get reduced.

Seeing this a major disadvantage of using JPG or JPEG, in 1993 a Lossless JPEG version had been added to the JPEG standard by the same Joint Photographic Experts Group that enables a lossless picture quality.

Sometimes, this Lossless JPEG term is also referred to all lossless schemes such as JPEG-LS and JPEG 2000 introduced by the same group. For more details, you can check them out on Wikipedia.

But for now, what do you think about which one is better JPG vs JPEG? find out in the section below!


Which One Is Better JPG Vs JPEG?

The answer to this particular question will be that both are great. Since both are technically the same thing without any main difference, it doesn’t make any sense to compare these two and decide which one is better.

But when talking practically, the term JPG is more recognized as compared to JPEG, and even the search engine tech giant Google also gives more than 25 billion search results for JPG. Whereas, JPEG is about 5.7 billion.

It can be due to these three reasons:

  • The term JPG seems fast and easy for people to use.
  • The Windows user base is quite a bit more than Mac users.
  • People are too lazy to type larger acronyms.

But, one thing is sure, no matter which file extension or format you use, both will work the same and are valid unless or until someone has mistakenly not allowed either of the file extensions.


How to Convert Other Image File Formats to JPG or JPEG?

There are plenty of online/offline tools available through which you can easily convert any image file such as GIF or PNG format to JPG/JPEG. Let us check out some of them:

Windows Paint tool

One of the most useful and common tools that come completely Free with Windows OS. Not just it let you sketch, draw, paint, or edit images, but through this, you can also convert any image file type to JPG/JPEG.

All you need to do is, just upload any picture to Windows Paint> Go to file section > Click on Save as.

Convert images into JPG/JPEG
Convert Images into JPG/JPEG

A pop-up window will appear asking you to select the file destination > Give a name to the image and an option to select the type of file from the drop-down menu as shown below:

Windows Paint
Windows Paint

And click on the Save button.

Adobe Photoshop Tool

Like the windows paint tool, almost every photo editing tool has one thing in common. The majority of them provide the same functionality for image format conversion. For example, in Adobe Photoshop to convert any image file into JPG/JPEG, go to the file section as shown below and click on the Save as option.

Adobe Photoshop Image conversion
Adobe Photoshop Image Conversion

A popup window will appear in which you have to put the file name and select Save as Type.

Adobe Photoshop Image conversion
Adobe Photoshop Image Conversion

Click on the save button and you are done.

Free Online Tools

Apart from offline software or tools, if you do not like to use any of the above, there are plenty of free options also available online. All you just need to Google search ” Image converter JPG ” and the search result will show you a list of Free online image converter tools. Choose any one of them, for example, online-convert, click on the Choose file button > select the file you want to convert into JPG/JPEG file and Click on the Start button as shown below:

online image converter to JPEG tool
Online Image Converter to JPEG Tool

However, some tools also provide other customization options such as resolution, Quality, color filters, DPI, etc. with the help of which you can get more customized results.


Conclusion

Now, after reading the above post, all your doubts must be clear regarding JPG vs JPEG, and it must be also easy for you to confidently select either of the image files (JPG or JPEG) without any problem.

The only difference between these two types of file extensions is their number of letters, which originates due to the limitations of using more than 3 characters for file extensions in early Windows versions. But now things have changed and now Windows can use more than three characters for file extensions.

Therefore, no matter what image extension you are using either JPG or JPEG. You can convert any other image file format into any one of these and take advantage of the quality of their pictures in small file sizes.

In addition to that, JPEG/JPG file format can also help to improve your website speed, on top of that if you host your website on the Fastest managed web host such as WPOven, it will be icing on the cake.

If you still doubt your mind regarding this topic, please do let us know in the comment section below.


Frequently Asked Questions

Which is higher quality JPEG or JPG?

Since, both the image file extensions JPEG and JPG are completely the same. Neither of them is superior to another. Both are raster types of images and show the same result after compression.

Which is clearer JPEG or JPG?

There is no difference between JPEG and JPG in terms of functionality. But the only difference is their extension name. It doesn’t matter whether you use either JPG or JPEG, the result will be the same.

How do I change a JPG to a JPEG?

In the older version of windows, you can easily change the extension names of image files but now things have been changed. To change a JPG to JPEG you have to use either online or offline tools such as:
1. Windows paint
2. Adobe photoshop
3. Online tools
Not just JPG to JPEG or vice versa, but you can also convert any image file GIF or PNG into JPG/JPEG with these tools.


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