JPG and PNG are the two most common image formats, but they serve different purposes. Choosing the wrong one leads to blurry photos or unnecessarily large files. Here's how to decide.
JPG: best for photos
JPG (or JPEG) uses lossy compression, which means it throws away some detail to shrink the file. For photographs — where there are millions of subtle colors and gradients — that loss is invisible to the eye. That's why JPG is the standard format for photos, and why it produces small files for realistic imagery.
PNG: best for graphics and transparency
PNG uses lossless compression, so every pixel is preserved exactly. It also supports transparent backgrounds, which JPG does not. That makes PNG the right choice for logos, icons, screenshots, and any graphic with sharp edges or transparency. The trade-off: PNG files are much larger than JPG for the same image.
Which should you use?
- Photos → JPG (smaller, quality looks the same).
- Logos, icons, graphics with transparency → PNG.
- Screenshots with text → PNG keeps text crisp.
A modern alternative is WebP, which supports transparency and is smaller than both — worth considering for the web.
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert PNG to JPG?
Yes, but be aware that JPG does not support transparency — transparent areas will be filled with a solid color. Use the Compress PNG tool to convert to WebP instead, which keeps transparency.
Is PNG always higher quality than JPG?
PNG is lossless, so it never loses detail, but it also produces much larger files than JPG for photos.
Related: Compress JPG · Compress PNG · JPG vs WebP