Mozilla is preparing to change how Firefox handles images in version 157. This update matters because it brings a modern image format to a browser that has lagged behind competitors. Users will soon see faster loading times and better compression without losing quality.
Mozilla developer confirms JPEG XL moves from experimental to default
The change targets Firefox 157 on all platforms. Mozilla developer Timothy Nikkel confirmed that JPEG XL support will move from experimental to default. This removes the need for users to manually tweak settings or switch to the Nightly channel.
JPEG XL is a royalty-free format designed to replace older standards like JPEG, PNG, and WebP. Firefox uses the jxl-rs Rust library to render these images. Recent updates enabled multithreaded decoding to speed up the process.
The format allows transcoding existing JPEG files to reduce file size by about 20 percent. It also supports perfect byte-for-byte reconstruction of the original image. This means users get smaller files without visual artifacts.
Safari has supported JPEG XL in stable builds since 2023. Chrome removed support in version 110 but reintroduced experimental support in version 145. Firefox now joins Safari as a mainstream option for this format.
Previous coverage examined the competition among browser image formats during the adoption of WebP. This update closes a gap between Firefox and Safari users. The feature ships with Firefox 157 for all default users.
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