The new JPEG XL image format promises better compression and higher quality

Microsoft has quietly rolled out support for the JPEG XL image format in the latest Windows 11 24H2 update. This new feature, available through an extension in the Microsoft Store, promises to enhance image quality and compression capabilities, which makes it great for photographers and web developers alike.

JPEG XL, a royalty-free image format, offers significantly better image compression than traditional JPEG files while maintaining high quality. Unlike newer image formats such as HEIC, AVIF, and WebP, which originated from video codecs, JPEG XL was specifically designed to give photographers more control over their images. The format supports a wider color gamut, faster encoding and decoding times, and can save up to 75% of storage space.

To enable JPEG XL in Windows 11, you need to download the JPEG XL Image Extension from Microsoft Store. This extension is currently only compatible with Windows 11 version 24H2, but it only works if your Windows 11 version is 26100 or higher.

In tests conducted by Windows Latest, images in the JPEG XL format were found to have nearly the same quality as their JPEG counterparts but with a file size reduction of approximately 47.90%. However, it was noted that the Photos app does not yet support opening JPEG XL files, although thumbnails and file previews are visible in File Explorer.