Measured and checked, October 2026
JPEG XL (JXL file): what it is and where it works
JPEG XL is a royalty-free image format, standard ISO/IEC 18181, saved as .jxl. It keeps every pixel in a smaller file: in our test, cutouts came out at 41% of the PNG size. Chrome 155, Firefox 158 and Safari 17 open it. Shopify, Amazon and eBay do not list it, so upload a JPG or PNG copy.
2 computers per licence. Full refund within 14 days, no reason needed.
25 MP cutouts saved without loss: average file size
- PNG35 MB · 100%
- WebP lossless23 MB · 65%
- JPEG XL lossless, AwaCut18 MB · 53%
- JPEG XL lossless, cjxl14 MB · 41%
- 41% of the PNG size, same pixels
- Opens in Chrome, Firefox and Safari
- ISO standard, royalty-free
Listed onAlternativeToMicrosoft Store
Open it
Chrome 155, Firefox 158 and Safari 17 and newer show a .jxl file. On a Mac with macOS 14 or newer, Preview opens it too. For Windows 11 there is a free JPEG XL Image Extension in the Microsoft Store.
Convert it for upload
Shops and marketplaces still want JPG or PNG. On a Mac, Preview exports both. The free djxl tool turns photo.jxl into photo.png or photo.jpg with one command. For a whole folder, Convert Images in AwaCut changes every .jxl to PNG, JPG or WebP at once. Our JXL to PNG and JXL to JPG guides show each step.
Keep the JXL as your archive
A lossless JXL keeps every pixel in a smaller file: 41% of the PNG size with the free cjxl tool in our test, 52.5% with AwaCut. Keep your finished photos as JXL and export JPG or PNG copies for the places that need them.
Where JPEG XL works, October 2026
Chrome
- Takes .jxl?
- Yes, from version 155
- Good to know
- On by default since 6 October 2026
Firefox
- Takes .jxl?
- Yes, from version 158
- Good to know
- On by default since 13 October 2026
Safari on Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Takes .jxl?
- Yes, from Safari 17
- Good to know
- Still images only, no animation
Microsoft Edge
- Takes .jxl?
- Not confirmed
- Good to know
- Microsoft's notes for Edge 155 do not mention it
Mac (Preview)
- Takes .jxl?
- Yes, but cannot save JXL
- Good to know
- Exports JPG or PNG from File, Export
Windows 11
- Takes .jxl?
- Free extension available
- Good to know
- JPEG XL Image Extension, Microsoft Store
Shopify, Amazon, eBay
- Takes .jxl?
- Not on their format lists
- Good to know
- Upload JPG or PNG instead
Online background removers
- Takes .jxl?
- None of the nine we checked
- Good to know
- Save a PNG copy first. AwaCut opens .jxl on your computer.
| Where | Takes .jxl? | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Yes, from version 155 | On by default since 6 October 2026 |
| Firefox | Yes, from version 158 | On by default since 13 October 2026 |
| Safari on Mac, iPhone and iPad | Yes, from Safari 17 | Still images only, no animation |
| Microsoft Edge | Not confirmed | Microsoft's notes for Edge 155 do not mention it |
| Mac (Preview) | Yes, but cannot save JXL | Exports JPG or PNG from File, Export |
| Windows 11 | Free extension available | JPEG XL Image Extension, Microsoft Store |
| Shopify, Amazon, eBay | Not on their format lists | Upload JPG or PNG instead |
| Online background removers | None of the nine we checked | Save a PNG copy first. AwaCut opens .jxl on your computer. |
Checked on 16 October 2026 against each company's release notes or published list of accepted formats.
Three JPEG XL mistakes that cost quality or an upload
Uploading the .jxl to a shop
Shopify, Amazon and eBay do not list JXL among their accepted formats. Upload a JPG or PNG copy, or the photo may be refused.
Re-saving JPGs to save space
Every new JPG save loses a little detail. The free cjxl tool can recompress a JPG into JXL without loss instead: about 20% smaller, and djxl gives back the exact original file, byte for byte.
Saving a cutout as JPG
JPG has no transparency. In our test the transparent area of a JXL came out black as JPG. Save cutouts as PNG or WebP, or put them on white before saving a JPG.
Why we measured it ourselves
We wanted numbers from real work, not sample images. We used 20 phone photos, 25 MP each, and removed the backgrounds with AwaCut. Saved as lossless JXL by cjxl, they came to 41% of the PNG size and 63% of lossless WebP, at about 2 seconds a photo on a Mac Studio (M4 Max). AwaCut's own JXL came to 52.5% of the PNG in 0.09 seconds a photo. Every pixel came back identical. If you sell from photos like these, AwaCut cuts out a whole folder at once.
Try it on your own photos: the first 10 are free, no account.
2 computers per licence. Full refund within 14 days, no reason needed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .jxl file?
A JPEG XL image. It can hold a photo with or without loss, with transparency, HDR and animation. Firefox's release notes say it generally compresses better than WebP, JPEG and PNG. It is royalty-free, and its reference library, libjxl, is open source.
JPEG XL vs WebP and AVIF: which is smaller?
For photos kept without loss, JXL won our test: 20 cutouts of 25 MP averaged 14 MB as JXL and 23 MB as lossless WebP, with identical pixels. We did not test AVIF.
Does Chrome support JPEG XL?
Yes, from Chrome 155, on by default since 6 October 2026. Firefox opens it from version 158 and Safari from 17. Microsoft has not confirmed it for Edge yet.
Can I upload JXL to Shopify, Amazon or eBay?
Not in October 2026: none of them lists JXL among its accepted formats. Convert to JPG or PNG first.
How do I open a JXL file?
Drag it into Chrome 155, Firefox 158 or Safari 17 or newer. On a Mac with macOS 14 or newer, Preview opens it. On Windows 11, install the free JPEG XL Image Extension from the Microsoft Store. XnView MP, GIMP and AwaCut open it on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Does a JPG lose quality when it becomes JXL?
Not with lossless recompression, which the cjxl tool uses for JPG files by default. The file gets about 20% smaller, and djxl can rebuild the original JPG byte for byte. AwaCut does not recompress this way: it saves the pixels, which is what a cutout or a PNG needs.
JXL vs PNG: which should I use for cutouts?
Both keep every pixel and the transparency. JXL is smaller: our 25 MP cutouts averaged 35 MB as PNG, 18 MB as JXL from AwaCut and 14 MB from cjxl. Shops accept PNG and do not list JXL, so upload PNG and keep JXL for your archive.
Product photos to cut out?
AwaCut opens JXL, JPG, PNG, WebP and AVIF and removes the background from a whole folder on your computer. Save PNG, WebP, JPG or lossless JXL. 10 photos free.
macOS
macOS 13.4+ (Apple silicon)v1.0.7 · 186 MB
Windows
Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)v1.0.7 · 176 MB
Linux
AppImage (x86-64)v1.0.7 · 263 MB
Signed by AYA MIM S.R.L. If Windows still shows "Windows protected your PC", click More info, then Run anyway.
No AwaCut account. No credits. No uploads. 2 computers per licence, full refund within 14 days.