Choosing JPG or PNG for your project

JPG and PNG are both common image formats, but they are designed for different needs.

What JPG does well

JPG is usually a practical format for photographs and images with many colors. It can keep files relatively small, but its lossy compression can remove detail. Saving a JPG repeatedly at lower quality can make artifacts more noticeable.

When PNG is useful

PNG is often useful for graphics, screenshots, logos, and illustrations with crisp edges. It also supports transparency. A PNG file may be larger than a comparable JPG, especially for a photograph.

What happens when you convert

Changing the file format does not improve the source image or restore detail that was already lost. A transparent PNG converted to JPG will need a background because JPG does not support transparency.

Practical choice

For a photo you want to share, JPG may be convenient. For a transparent logo or text-heavy screenshot, PNG is often a better fit. Check the destination’s file requirements and inspect the result.

Try a related tool

Use our JPG ↔ PNG converter when you need to change between supported formats.

Try it: JPG ↔ PNG. For detailed instructions, see the How-To Guides.