Google Chrome 155 adds native JPEG XL support, eliminating need for extensions

Google Chrome version 155 updates the browser to handle a newer image format. JPEG XL provides improved compression efficiency compared to legacy image formats. Web pages utilizing JPEG XL images may experience reduced data transfer requirements. Native support eliminates the requirement for external browser extensions to display JPEG XL images.

Built-in .jxl rendering replaces third-party plugins

The software update applies to the Google Chrome browser. The update is available for Chromium-based browsers on desktop and mobile operating systems. The browser now recognizes the .jxl file extension natively. Built-in support allows browsers to render JPEG XL images without additional plugins.

The core technical addition is native support for the JPEG XL image format. The browser engine now parses .jxl files directly from the web. The feature supersedes earlier methods that required manual file association or plugin installation. The update aims to provide uniform image rendering across supported operating systems.

This release focuses on format compatibility rather than performance benchmarks. Google has not released specific speed metrics for this change. The update ships as a standard browser version. The format becomes available for use once the browser update is installed.