WebP, HEIC, and Other Image Formats That Sound Like Aliens
Let’s be honest — some image formats sound less like file types and more like characters from a sci-fi movie.
“Captain, the HEIC has entered the WebP galaxy… Prepare the PNGs!” 🚀
If you’ve ever seen these strange letters and thought, “What the JPEG is that?” — don’t worry. You’re not alone. Let’s break down these alien-sounding formats and figure out which ones are here to help (and which ones are just...weird).
👾 WebP: The Chrome-Loving Alien
Sounds like: A rejected sci-fi villain
Actually is: A Google-created format that’s fast, smart, and space-efficient.
Why it’s cool:
Smaller than JPG and PNG, but keeps great quality
Loves transparency like PNG
Loads images super fast (perfect for websites!)
Weakness: Some older browsers still go “uhh… what’s this?”
Best for: Websites, blogs, memes, and anything that needs to load fast without looking crusty.
🛸 HEIC: The iPhone’s Private Language
Sounds like: A teleportation device
Actually is: Apple’s favorite image format, introduced with iOS 11.
Why it’s cool:
Takes up half the space of a JPG
Keeps better image quality
Stores burst shots and live photos too
Weakness: Doesn’t play nice with Windows or older software unless you install extra stuff.
Best for: iPhone users, cloud storage, and pretending you’re better than JPG people.
🤖 AVIF: The Silent Overachiever
Sounds like: A robot who never blinks
Actually is: A super-modern image format based on the same tech behind Netflix video compression.
Why it’s cool:
Even smaller than WebP
Supports transparency, HDR, and all the shiny things
Weakness: Still new — not every tool or browser speaks “AVIF” yet.
Best for: Designers who like bleeding-edge tech and saving every byte possible.
🧬 TIFF: The Wise Old Grandpa
Sounds like: A tea-sipping British gentleman
Actually is: A super high-quality image format mostly used by professionals.
Why it’s cool:
Ridiculously good quality
Great for printing, archiving, and image editing
Weakness: Huge file sizes. Not meant for everyday web use.
Best for: Photographers, printers, and serious design nerds.
👓 RAW: The Bare-Naked File
Sounds like: Something you’re not supposed to see
Actually is: The unfiltered, untouched photo straight from a camera’s soul.
Why it’s cool:
Zero compression
Perfect for editing with full control
Weakness: Huge. Requires special software. Definitely not for memes.
Best for: Photographers and people who know what aperture means.
Final Thoughts from Planet Earth 🌍
You don’t need to be an image wizard to get this stuff. If it’s going online and needs to look good fast — WebP is your new bestie.
If you’re Team Apple, HEIC is quietly working in the background.
And if you’re just here to remove a background and keep it looking crisp — PNG is still your hero.