PNG vs JPG: which format should you use?
The two formats compress in fundamentally different ways, which is why one looks flawless where the other looks smeared. Choosing correctly is usually obvious once you know the rule.
JPG, PNG or WebP. Everything is processed on your device.
Up to 50 MB per file. Files are processed in your browser.
Full options and FAQs on the Image Converter page.
The one-line rule
Photographs go to JPG. Anything with text, sharp edges, flat colour or transparency goes to PNG.
Why the rule works
- JPG discards detail the eye is unlikely to miss in a photo, achieving very small files — but it produces visible haloes around lettering and hard edges.
- PNG is lossless: every pixel survives, which keeps screenshots and diagrams perfectly crisp at the cost of a bigger file.
- Only PNG supports transparency; saving a transparent logo as JPG fills the background with black or white.
- Every JPG re-save loses a little more quality. PNG can be re-saved indefinitely with no degradation.
Where WebP fits
WebP handles both photos and graphics and typically lands 25-35% smaller than an equivalent JPG. Every current browser supports it, so it is a strong choice for a website — just keep a JPG or PNG copy for older desktop software that will not open it.
Step by step
- 1Decide from the content: photo means JPG, text or transparency means PNG.
- 2Load the image into the converter below.
- 3Pick the target format.
- 4Convert and compare the resulting file size.
- 5Download the version that fits where you are publishing it.
Frequently asked questions
- Does converting JPG to PNG restore lost quality?
- No. Detail discarded by JPG is gone for good; the PNG simply preserves the already-degraded image at a larger file size.
- Which is better for a website?
- WebP for both, with JPG for photos and PNG for logos as fallbacks. Smaller images load faster, which helps both visitors and search rankings.