The PNG (Portable Network Graphics) image format, first introduced in 1995, has received an updated version. This is reported by ProgramMax citing the World Wide Web Consortium.

This file format has been recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for internet use since 1996. The second version was released in 2003. Now, this format has achieved its third edition — the first significant update in over two decades. PNG v3 has officially been approved as a W3C standard effective June 24, 2025.

The new standard brings several important features, including support for HDR-quality images. By utilizing the compact cICP profile, HDR versions of PNG can be only 16 bytes larger than standard SDR versions. Additionally, PNG 3 supports EXIF data, such as camera model information or GPS coordinates, which was previously typical for JPEG but not available for PNG.

Another innovation is the official inclusion of animated PNG (APNG) support in the standard. Although APNGs existed before, they are only now officially recognized, paving the way for broader support in software.

The development of the third version of PNG began in 2021 in collaboration with Adobe, Apple, and Google, so PNG 3 is already supported by Chromium-based browsers, Firefox, macOS, iOS, Adobe Photoshop, and DaVinci Resolve. In the future, W3C plans to optimize lossless compression and improve HDR compatibility on SDR displays and vice versa.