concept
Lossy compression
Compression that permanently discards detail to reach much smaller files.
Convert a file nowLossy compression explained
Lossy encoders model human perception. Image codecs discard high-frequency detail and colour precision; audio codecs drop frequencies masked by louder neighbours. What is removed cannot be recovered.
Quality is a dial, not a fixed property. A JPEG saved at quality 90 is close to indistinguishable from the original; the same photo at quality 40 shows blocking around edges.
Repeatedly re-encoding a lossy file causes generation loss: each pass compresses artefacts introduced by the previous one. Keep a lossless master and export lossy copies from it.
Where you meet it
- JPEG photographs
- MP3 and AAC audio
- H.264 video
- WebP in lossy mode
Lossy compression scores
Deterministic scores calculated from the structured facts above. Identical facts always produce identical scores.
Overall score
100/100
Archiving score
100- it is a current, actively maintained format
- it is actively maintained and current
Confidence 33% · evidence coverage 56%
Longevity score
100- it is actively maintained and current
- it is a current, actively maintained format
- it sits at the centre of the format ecosystem, with many documented relationships
Confidence 35% · evidence coverage 75%
Related to Lossy compression
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert a lossy file back to lossless quality?
- No. Converting a JPEG to PNG preserves the JPEG's current pixels but cannot restore the detail the JPEG encoder discarded.
Data quality
Every claim on this page is classified as a verified fact, a derived fact or an assumption.
- Overall confidence
- 85%
- Verification status
- verified
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-03
- Verified facts
- 1
1 classified claim backed by 1 source.
- Convert Always editorial review — Convert Always
Sources and review status
Review status: verified · confidence 85%
Last reviewed 2026-08-03 (revision 1).
- Convert Always editorial review — Convert Always