Blog: file formats and conversion guides
Articles on how document and image formats work, when to choose which one and what to watch for when converting between them.
File Formats
File FormatsWhat Is WebP? A Complete Guide to Google's Image Format
WebP is Google's image format for the web, combining lossy and lossless compression, transparency and animation in one file type. Here is how it works, where it causes trouble and how to convert it.
File FormatsWhat Is a UDF File? The UYAP Document Format
UDF is the document format used in UYAP, the Turkish Ministry of Justice's judicial information system. We explain what is inside it, which program opens it and what survives a conversion to Word or PDF.
File FormatsWhat Is a TXT File? Plain Text, Encodings and UTF-8
TXT is the simplest document format there is: just characters and line breaks. Yet encodings, the BOM and line endings make it one of the most troublesome. We explain each of them.
File FormatsWhat Is TIFF? The Scanning, Print and Archive Format
TIFF is the lossless image format of scans, print files and archives. We explain its structure, compression options and how to convert large TIFF files.
File FormatsWhat Is SVG? A Guide to the Vector Format
SVG is an XML-based vector graphics format that stays sharp at any size. We cover its history, structure, security risks and conversion to PNG.
File FormatsWhat Is RTF? How Rich Text Format Works
RTF is a document format Microsoft created in 1987 that describes formatted text using plain ASCII characters. We cover its structure, its limits and what to watch for when converting it.
File FormatsWhat Is PNG? Lossless Compression and Transparency
PNG is a lossless image format that keeps every pixel exactly and supports full transparency. Here is how it grew out of the GIF patent dispute, how its compression works and when it is the right choice.
File FormatsWhat Is PDF? Structure, History and Conversion Tips
PDF is a page description format that fixes a document so it looks the same on every device. This article covers its history, internal structure, versions and what to watch for when you convert it.
File FormatsWhat Is Markdown? Syntax, CommonMark and GFM
Markdown is a lightweight markup language that adds headings, lists and links to plain text with a few symbols. We cover its history, its standards and what survives when you turn MD files into Word or PDF.
File FormatsWhat Is JPG? How the JPEG Format Works and When to Use It
JPG is the lossy image format that has stored the world's photos for more than three decades. Here is how JPEG compression works, where it shines, where it fails and what to watch for when converting.
File FormatsWhat Is ICO? Icon Files and Favicons Explained
ICO is the Windows icon format that holds several sizes in one file. We explain its structure, the history of the favicon and which sizes you need today.
File FormatsWhat Is HTML? History, Parsing and the DOM
HTML is the markup language that describes the structure of web pages, and it sits underneath nearly every website. We cover its history, how browsers process it and what to watch for when turning HTML into documents.
File FormatsWhat Is HEIC? The iPhone Photo Format Explained
HEIC is the iPhone's default photo format, and it does not open everywhere. We explain the HEIF structure, where it is supported and how to convert HEIC photos.
File FormatsWhat Is GIF? 256 Colors, Animation and LZW Compression
GIF has been around since 1987: limited to 256 colors, but still alive thanks to animation. Here is how it works, why it produces large files and when to choose another format.
File FormatsWhat Is DOCX? Inside the Word File Format
DOCX, Word's default format since Word 2007, is a ZIP package of XML files. We explain its structure, the standards behind it and what survives a conversion.
File FormatsWhat Is DOC? The Word 97-2003 Binary Format
DOC is the binary document format Word used from Word 97 to Word 2003, and it still turns up in many archives. Here is how it works inside, where it falls short and how to convert it safely.
File FormatsWhat Is BMP? The Bitmap Format Explained
BMP is Windows' uncompressed, lossless bitmap format. We explain its header structure, color depths, limitations and how to make the files smaller.
File FormatsWhat Is AVIF? The Next-Generation Image Format Based on AV1
AVIF combines the image compression of the AV1 video codec with the HEIF container to create a royalty-free and very efficient image format. Here is how it is built, what it really saves and where it falls short.
Guides
GuidesHow to Convert WebP and AVIF Images to JPG
Why images you download turn out to be WebP or AVIF, which programs struggle with them, and how to turn them into JPG in your browser in a few steps.
GuidesWhy PDF to Word Conversion Breaks Formatting
Why layouts, tables and columns shift when you convert a PDF to Word, why scanned PDFs produce no text, and what you can do to get better results.
GuidesHow to Open a UDF File on a Computer or Phone
A step-by-step guide to opening a Turkish UYAP .udf document with the official UYAP Document Editor, by converting it to PDF or Word, or on your phone.
GuidesWhy Won't My iPhone HEIC Photos Open?
Why HEIC photos from an iPhone fail to open on Windows, older Android phones and web forms, and the permanent and quick fixes, step by step.