Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system supports a wide range of file formats by default. JPEG XL, a royalty-free open image format has not been on that default list up until now.

What is JPEG XL? The image format promises better web compatibility than JPEG, including several features that allow webmasters and users to migrate existing images to the new format:

• Compression efficiency.
• Support for lossless and lossy compression.
• Support for transparency.
• Support for HDR and a wide range of colors.
• Progressive loading support.
• Backward compatibility.

The main downside right now is limited support for the format and a lack of hardware decoding support.

Windows 11: how to install support for JPEG XL

Microsoft published the JPEG XL Image Extension on the Microsoft Store. Windows 11 users may download the application to add support for the JPEG XL format on Windows 11.

Note: The image extension is only compatible with Windows 11, version 24H2. You get an JPEG XL Image Extension failed error when you try to install it on an earlier version of Windows 11 or on a Windows 10 system.

If you run Windows 11, version 24H2 on a device and do use the Microsoft Store, you may open the JPEG XL Image Extension page to download and install support for JPEG XL.

If you do not use the Microsoft Store, you may use this Adguard tool to download the plugin file directly from a Microsoft server. Here is how that is done:

1. Load the Adguard webpage with a click on this link.
2. Paste the following Address into the form field: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9mzprth5c0tb?hl=en-us&gl=en and keep everything as is (URL and RP).
3. Click the checkmark button to search for downloads.
4. Click the Microsoft.JPEG-XLImageExtension_1.2.21.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appxbundle link to download the file to the local system.
5. Double-click on the downloaded file to start the installation.

Windows supports JPEG XL natively after installation. This means that image viewing and editing tools should support the format.

Closing Words

Many image editors and viewers support JPEG XL already on Windows, either natively or as plugins. Paint.NET, for example, has supported JPEG-XL for some time as a plugin. The developer Rick Brewster has added the plugin now in the latest beta so that users do not need to install the plugin manually anymore to add support.