JPEG is an alternative to GIF developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group specifically for photographic images. JPEG supports millions of colors (24-bit).
JPEG is a lossy format, which means that some image data is discarded when it is compressed, reducing the quality of the final file. However, image data can often be discarded with little or no noticeable difference in quality.
When exporting a JPEG, use the Quality pop-up menu slider in the Optimize panel to control how much quality is lost when compressing the file.
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A high percentage setting maintains image quality but compresses less, producing larger files. |
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A low percentage setting yields a small file, but produces a lower-quality image. |
Use the 2-Up and 4-Up previews to test and compare the appearance and estimated file size with different Quality settings for an exported JPEG.
The JPEG format is best for scanned photographs, images using textures, images with gradient color transitions, or any images that require more than 256 colors.