Format Optimization
PixelBin's format optimization feature delivers each image to the end user in the right format based on their device and browser capabilities. For example, if your audience is using Google Chrome the below image is delivered in WebP format, but if they use Safari the image will be delivered in JPEG format.
The right image format reduces image size, speeds up the website and improves the user experience without sacrificing image quality. Different browsers support a variety of image formats such JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF and more. Newer image formats such as WebP and AVIF deliver smaller and faster images however they are not yet widely supported across all devices and browsers.
How to Optimize Image Formats in PixelBin
PixelBin's Image Optimization setting is available in Zones under Optimisation.
There are two options to optimize image formats in PixelBin:
Automatic format selection with f_auto URL parameter
Enable the USE BEST FORMAT FOR IMAGE DELIVERY setting to deliver images in the right format for the requesting device. This setting works with URL based parameter f_auto=true
The below Default Zone URL shows how the f_auto parameter is used in the Zone URL to automatically select the best image format:
Forcing automatic format selection
Enable the Force best format for image delivery setting to automatically deliver the best image format for all images in the zone.
When you use this setting, you no longer have to use the query parameter f_auto=true in the Zone URL. But there could cases when you've enabled format optimization in the zone settings and you want to override it for a specific image, you can use the f_auto=false query parameter in the image URL.
Web Optimization Quality
Using the Web Optimization Quality setting, you can control the quality of the image delivered to the end user. Higher the quality, larger the image size and vice versa.
When you select a flat value, all the images served from the zone will have the same quality.
If you select any of the Automatic values, PixelBin will automatically balance file size and visual quality in real-time by utilizing perceptual metrics and heuristics to determine the optimal image quality based on the content of each image.
The way you intend to use the image can also impact the decision between quality and file size. To manage this, you can control how aggressively the auto-quality automation algorithm reduces file size by selecting a target visual quality level (best, good, economy, or low).
The various automatic quality settings are summarized as follows:
- Best – The least aggressive algorithm, compressing files as much as possible without any visible loss in quality.
- Good – Produces relatively small file sizes with good visual quality. Minor visual artifacts may appear, but only upon close inspection. This setting offers the best balance between file size and visual quality.
- Economy – A more aggressive approach that favors smaller file sizes, with a slight reduction in visual quality noticeable only under close examination.
- Low – The most aggressive algorithm, yielding the smallest file sizes while allowing for lower visual quality.
Learn more about Zones here.