- JPEG XL is an advanced image format that offers much higher compression than traditional JPEG and native support for HDR.
- Chrome has reintegrated support for .jxl files using a secure decoder written in Rust to optimize performance.
- It allows lossless transcoding of old JPEG files, reducing their size without sacrificing a single pixel of quality.
You've probably come across files ending in .jxl and had no idea what to do with them. Well, we're talking about JPEG XL , a next-generation image format that's here to turn everything we know upside down. It's not simply an update to the classic JPEG; it's a completely new system designed to make websites incredibly fast and photos maintain amazing quality without taking up half your hard drive space.
The bombshell news is that Google Chrome has embraced this format once again , integrating the ability to decode these images natively. After some back and forth and a fair amount of controversy in the development world, the browser from the Mountain View giant has decided to commit to a technology that promises to make formats like WebP obsolete or even compete head-to-head with AVIF, especially when it comes to high-fidelity photography.
What exactly is the JPEG XL format?
To begin with, the name is no coincidence. The acronym JPEG comes from the committee of photography experts, the X stands for advanced standards, and the L means Long Term , as its goal is to be the definitive standard for decades. This format doesn't mess around: it allows for images of enormous resolution, reaching up to terapixels , and supports color depths of up to 32 bits per component.
What truly makes JXL a gem is its versatility. It can handle both lossy and lossless compression , supports transparency (alpha channel), and is compatible with High Dynamic Range (HDR) , something classic JPEG can only dream of. Furthermore, it can manage animated images, making it a powerful alternative to GIFs or animated WebP, but with far greater efficiency.
The great battle: JPEG XL versus AVIF and WebP
If you're wondering why we should use JPEG XL when AVIF or WebP already exist, the answer lies in the numbers. Compared to traditional JPEG, JXL can reduce file sizes by 30% to 60% while maintaining the same visual quality. Against WebP, JXL outperforms it in almost every test, especially in photos with a high level of detail where WebP often falls short.
The toughest competition is against AVIF. While AVIF excels at aggressive compression (resulting in very small files), JPEG XL is significantly faster to encode . This is vital for those managing massive image catalogs. Furthermore, JXL offers true progressive decoding ; that is, the image gradually appears in detail from the very beginning, whereas AVIF requires the file to be almost completely downloaded before it even starts displaying.
How to open JPEG XL images in Chrome
If you have an updated version of Chrome (specifically version 155 or later ), support should be enabled by default in the latest stable versions. However, because the format went through an experimental phase, you might still need to manually enable it in some versions.
To enable support if it's not working, simply type chrome://flags/#enable-jxl-image-format into the address bar . Once there, find the corresponding option and switch it to Enabled . After restarting your browser, you should be able to view any .jxl file you find on the web or load locally without needing to install any external programs.
Technical secrets: Rust's role and transcoding
Google hasn't taken this lightly. To prevent the browser from becoming vulnerable to cyberattacks, they've written the decoder in Rust . This programming language is renowned for ensuring memory safety , eliminating common vulnerabilities that hackers often exploit in decoders written in C++. The result is a faster and, above all, much more secure browser.
But there's one feature that's simply magic: lossless transcoding . JPEG XL can take an old JPEG file and optimize it to be about 20% smaller without losing a single bit of information. The best part is that the process is reversible; you can revert to the original JPEG exactly as it was. This is a gift for photographers and website owners who don't want to reprocess thousands of photos from scratch.
Impact on web performance and Core Web Vitals
For those of you obsessed with SEO and page load speed, JPEG XL is an incredible ally. By reducing the size of the main image (the LCP, or Largest Contentful Paint), pages load much faster , especially on slow mobile connections. Thanks to more efficient decoding that uses hardware SIMD instructions, the mobile processor doesn't work as hard, improving overall browsing smoothness.
Although global support is still limited compared to JPEG, the trend is clear. With Safari having supported it for some time and Chrome already on board, the ecosystem is moving towards this standard. Using the HTML <picture> element is currently the best strategy: it allows you to offer the .jxl file to those who can read it and leave a classic JPEG as a fallback or alternative for older browsers.
This new format represents a necessary evolutionary leap for the web, combining aggressive compression with stunning visual fidelity and enhanced security thanks to Rust. Its ability to drastically reduce image file sizes and its innovative reversible transcoding feature make it the ultimate tool for optimizing user experience and the technical performance of any modern website.