PNG Just Got Its First Update in 20 Years

HDR in Just 4 Bytes

PNG now supports HDR images with an extended color gamut, adding just 4 bytes to the file size. That means richer, more vibrant colors on modern displays, while still keeping the efficient, lossless compression we all rely on.

Transparent Animations — APNG Goes Official

What used to be a hacky extension — APNG (Animated PNG) — is now officially part of the spec. It’s a true GIF alternative, but better in nearly every way:

• Millions of colors instead of 256,
• Full transparency support,
• And graceful fallback: even unsupported apps show a static image.

Metadata Support: Now with Exif

The update also brings Exif metadata support, allowing images to carry embedded information like camera settings, geolocation, or copyright data. That’s a big win for professionals in photography, media, and archiving.

Backward Compatibility? Still Intact

Despite all the improvements, backward compatibility remains rock-solid. Existing PNG files continue to work as usual, and the new features don’t break anything.

Even better: the update is already supported in major browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, as well as in Photoshop.

Now Let’s Talk About WebP…

PNG has suddenly become relevant again, evolving to meet the needs of the 2020s.

Now if only WebP could catch up — with real features beyond just smaller file sizes — we could finally say goodbye to GIF for good.