How should you think about JPG quality?
JPG is a lossy format. As quality decreases, you may see blocking, loss of detail, and banding—especially in smooth gradients. The goal on the web is to find the smallest file size that still looks “good enough” to the eye. In many cases, 70–85 is a strong starting range, then adjust up/down depending on the image.
Reducing quality gradually is safer than dropping it too much at once. Some photos look clean at 75, while others show visible artifacts below 85. Visual inspection is key.
When should you be careful?
- Images with text (text can blur, edges can break)
- Very detailed photos (textures disappear faster)
- Product photos (loss of sharpness can reduce perceived quality)
- Repeated compression (quality drops more each round)
JPG or WebP?
JPG is widely compatible; WebP can often provide a smaller file with a similar quality feel. Compressing JPG first and then converting to WebP can give extra gains, especially on photo-heavy websites.
Tip: Compare an 80-quality JPG with a WebP version. If they look similar, choose the smaller one. There is no single “best”—the best approach is to compare.