JPG is the most widely used lossy format for photos. JPG opens in most environments, but another format such as BMP may suit some uses better.
BMP is Windows' basic bitmap that stores pixels as they are, without compression. When you convert JPG to BMP, the file grows. See the comparison below for what changes.
This converter reads the file itself to confirm it is JPG, then converts it to BMP right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
JPG vs BMP: what's the difference?
| Item | JPG | BMP |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | None (uncompressed) |
| Transparent background | No | No |
| Animation | No | No |
| Introduced | 1992 | 1990 |
| Support in programs and upload forms | nearly everywhere | broad |
| Shown directly in browsers | Yes | Yes |
| Photo file size (JPG = 1) | baseline (1×) | about 12× |
What is JPG?
JPG (JPEG) is a lossy format standardized in 1992. It drops information the human eye is less sensitive to, making photos very small. It is the format cameras and smartphones save by default, so it is the one you meet most often.
What is BMP?
BMP is a bitmap format from Windows that mostly stores pixel values as they are, without compression. Its simple structure makes it easy for programs to read, but the files are so large that it is rarely used on the web.
What changes when you convert JPG to BMP
Quality doesn't improve, but it doesn't get worse either
Information lost when JPG was saved can't be recovered. BMP is lossless, so it keeps the image exactly as it is now and later edits and saves add no further degradation. File size will grow, though.
With no compression, the file size grows a lot
BMP stores pixels as they are. A 1920×1080 image becomes about 6MB, so unless equipment or software requires BMP, another format is recommended.
BMP has no quality setting
BMP is none (uncompressed), so the quality slider doesn't apply. Instead, when converting from JPG you can manage file size by resizing (exact width and height, or a percentage).
How the file size changes
For the same photo, BMP is much larger than JPG (roughly 12× or so). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller.
BMP has narrower support than JPG
JPG support is nearly everywhere and BMP support is broad. Check that the recipient can open BMP first, and if you're not sure, JPG or PNG is safer.
When to convert
- You need to feed legacy equipment or embedded software that only reads BMP
- You're preparing an image for typical BMP uses (input for legacy equipment and software, simple image-processing exercises)
- You want to tidy a JPG file into a format that's easier to edit or archive