Virtual Tour File Formats: Images, Video and Asset Guide

Virtual tour file formats affect what you can edit, what your tour builder can import, and what visitors can load smoothly. A panorama, a hotspot video, and a transparent navigation icon serve different purposes, so they should not automatically use the same export settings.

This guide explains how to choose image, video, audio, and supporting asset formats throughout a virtual tour workflow. Separate editable masters from delivery files, distinguish a file extension from a panorama projection or video codec, and check the requirements of your chosen platform before exporting a whole project.

File Format, Projection, and Codec: Three Different Decisions

A file format describes how data is stored. A projection describes how a spherical scene is mapped onto a flat image. A codec describes how video or audio is encoded. These choices work together, but changing one does not automatically change the others.

Image format: A JPEG can contain an ordinary photograph or a stitched panorama. The extension alone does not identify a full 360-degree scene.
Panorama projection: A full monoscopic equirectangular panorama normally uses a 2:1 canvas, such as 8000 × 4000 pixels. Cropped panoramas and stereoscopic layouts need different handling.
Video container and codec: MP4 is a container, while H.264 is a video codec. Two MP4 files can have different playback compatibility.

Do not rename an extension to convert a file. Export or transcode it with an appropriate tool, and preserve the original. For capture and stitching guidance, see how to create 360-degree photos.

JPEG: A Practical Starting Point for Panorama Uploads

JPEG, also written JPG, is a common delivery choice for photographic panoramas because it balances detail, file size, and broad compatibility. Use a correctly stitched equirectangular JPEG when your tour builder requests this input. Export a delivery copy in sRGB for a predictable web workflow, and check the platform's resolution and upload limits.

JPEG uses lossy compression and does not support transparency. Repeated editing and saving can introduce artifacts, especially around window frames, fine textures, and high-contrast edges. Keep an editable master, then export fresh JPEG copies rather than repeatedly recompressing the previous delivery file.

RAW and TIFF: Keep These for Editing and Archiving

Camera RAW files retain capture data for exposure and color adjustments, but they are not ready-to-display browser panoramas. Depending on the camera, they may contain individual views that still require processing and stitching. Keep the original captures and any stitching project needed to rebuild the scene.

TIFF is useful for high-quality intermediate images and retouching, particularly when a workflow needs higher bit depth or lossless storage. It is usually too large for routine visitor delivery and is not a standard browser image format. Export a compatible web copy after stitching, leveling, color correction, and privacy checks.

PNG, WebP, and AVIF: Choose by Asset and Import Support

PNG for Transparent Graphics and Detailed Diagrams

PNG supports lossless compression and transparency. It is useful for logos, floor plans, interface graphics, and overlays whose edges must remain clean. It is generally inefficient for large photographic panoramas compared with lossy photographic formats. Resize floor plans to a useful display resolution while keeping room labels readable.

WebP and AVIF for Optimized Web Delivery

WebP and AVIF can provide efficient compression and transparency for web images. Consider them for supporting photos, thumbnails, and other delivery assets when the application accepts them. Browser display support does not guarantee that a tour builder's upload processor or panorama renderer supports the same format.

A platform may accept a JPEG panorama and generate its own optimized output. In that case, use the requested source format and let the publishing pipeline handle delivery. Compare exports on real scene details instead of assuming that the smallest file is always the best choice. The MDN image format guide explains the underlying image formats.

Equirectangular Images, Cubemaps, and Multiresolution Tiles

An equirectangular image stores a spherical scene in one rectangular canvas. A cubemap represents the surroundings on six cube faces. Multiresolution delivery divides image content into tiles at several detail levels so a viewer can request the portions it needs. These describe projection and delivery organization rather than a single universal file extension.

For many workflows, you upload one stitched panorama and the tour software creates the required faces or tiles. Do not manually split files unless the importer explicitly requires it. Keep generated tile folders, naming, and configuration together; an isolated tile is not a complete panorama. An 8000 × 4000 image is only an example, not a universal requirement or guarantee of quality.

MP4 and WebM: Prepare Video for Its Actual Role

A flat hotspot video and a 360-degree video may share an MP4 extension, but they require different presentation. Flat video plays in a rectangular player. A spherical video needs a compatible immersive player and the correct projection or metadata expected by the platform. Exporting a flat clip at a 2:1 ratio does not turn it into genuine 360-degree footage.

MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio: A practical compatibility starting point for ordinary web video. Confirm the platform's encoding requirements and test the actual export on target devices.
WebM: Useful when your player and publishing workflow support its selected video and audio codecs. Treat it as a tested delivery option rather than an automatic replacement for every MP4.
MOV and camera originals: Keep these as source material when appropriate. A camera recording that opens in an editor may still need transcoding before it plays reliably in the published tour.

Match duration, resolution, frame rate, and bitrate to the content. A short equipment demonstration should not require visitors to download a production master. Provide usable playback controls and captions where supported. For container and codec distinctions, consult the MDN media container guide.

Audio, Icons, Floor Plans, and Other Supporting Assets

MP3 or AAC audio: Suitable delivery candidates for narration or background sound when supported. Keep narration clear, offer playback controls, and avoid competing soundtracks.
WAV audio: Useful as an editing master; uncompressed recordings can be unnecessarily large for visitor playback.
SVG graphics: Useful for scalable icons and diagrams if the application permits them. Use trusted, sanitized assets and export PNG when SVG uploads are unsupported.
PDF documents: Useful for downloadable brochures or specifications. They complement the tour rather than replace its interactive scene structure.
GLB or glTF models: Relevant only when a dedicated 3D viewer or integration supports them. A 3D model is not interchangeable with a photographic panorama.

Choose supporting files according to the visitor's task. A floor plan needs readable labels, a transparent icon needs clean edges, and narration needs intelligible speech. See virtual tour hotspot types and uses for ways to place these assets in context.

A Published Virtual Tour Is More Than One Media File

An interactive tour combines scenes, links, hotspot positions, settings, and media. Depending on the platform, its project may live in a database, an application-specific project file, or an exported package containing web files and assets. A JPEG or MP4 alone cannot preserve all those interactions.

Check what an export or backup actually contains, how it is restored, and whether it needs a server or application runtime. A ZIP is only a container for files, not a universal tour standard. Moving between platforms may require rebuilding interactions even when the source panoramas are reusable. Our self-hosted versus cloud guide covers the related hosting and control decisions.

Simple Virtual Tour Import Compatibility

360 photos. Upload stitched equirectangular JPG or PNG files with a 2:1 aspect ratio for a complete sphere. The bulk room uploader accepts JPG and PNG.
360 camera workflows. For a camera such as an Insta360 or RICOH THETA, export a stitched equirectangular JPG from your capture workflow and import that file. This workflow relies on the exported file format. Direct camera connections and individual camera models were outside the scope of the viewer check.
Other scene formats. The room editor documents 2:1 MP4 or WebM for 360 video, direct HLS links for live streams, and Lottie JSON for animation. Playback also depends on the video codec and the visitor's browser.

See the SVT room documentation. For browser and embed checks, see our tour embedding guide.

A Practical Export and Validation Workflow

Archive originals: Keep camera captures, editing masters, stitching projects, and original media separate from delivery copies.
Read import requirements: Confirm formats, projections, dimensions, file-size limits, and video encoding before batch export.
Test one representative scene: Include detailed textures, bright windows, a floor plan, and a sample media hotspot where relevant.
Inspect the published result: Check seams, horizon, color, text readability, transparency, sound, and playback on desktop and mobile.
Optimize and preserve dependencies: Adjust delivery settings, test loading, and back up the complete project with its referenced assets.

For example, a property project might retain RAW captures and a TIFF retouching master, upload stitched JPEG panoramas, use PNG floor plans, and deliver a short H.264/AAC MP4 introduction. Each choice serves a different stage; none implies that every platform accepts all those files directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best image format for a virtual tour?

A stitched equirectangular JPEG is a common starting point for photographic panorama uploads. The best choice depends on the tour builder's importer and delivery pipeline. Keep higher-quality editing sources separately, and test a sample before exporting every scene.

Is a 2:1 JPEG automatically a 360-degree photo?

No. The image must contain a correctly mapped spherical scene. A normal photo stretched or cropped to 2:1 will not produce a complete, geometrically correct view.

Can I use WebP instead of JPEG for panoramas?

Only if the platform supports WebP for that specific input and renderer. Support for WebP thumbnails or ordinary web images does not establish support for panorama imports.

Why does an MP4 work locally but fail inside a tour?

The video codec, audio codec, encoding settings, player, server delivery, or device may differ from the local playback environment. Check the platform's requirements and test a compatible transcode rather than changing the extension.

Can I export an entire interactive tour as a JPEG or MP4?

No. A JPEG stores an image and an MP4 can store a recorded video, but neither preserves the full interactive tour project. Use the platform's supported backup or publishing method to retain scenes, navigation, hotspots, and dependencies.

Choose Formats for the Whole Workflow

Reliable virtual tour file formats start with a clear separation between capture, editing, import, and delivery. Preserve reusable masters, export files your platform actually accepts, and judge compression through the published visitor experience. This approach makes updates easier and prevents avoidable compatibility problems.

Once your panoramas and supporting assets are ready, use Simple Virtual Tour to assemble them into an interactive experience. Explore the live demo to see scenes and media in context, or review the available options to choose your next step.