JPG is the most widely used lossy format for photos. JPG opens in most environments, but another format such as PNG may suit some uses better.
PNG is a versatile lossless format with transparency support. When you convert JPG to PNG, you get a format that supports transparency and 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 PNG right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
JPG vs PNG: what's the difference?
| Item | JPG | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless |
| Transparent background | No | Yes |
| Animation | No | No |
| Introduced | 1992 | 1996 |
| Support in programs and upload forms | nearly everywhere | nearly everywhere |
| Shown directly in browsers | Yes | Yes |
| Photo file size (JPG = 1) | baseline (1×) | about 3× |
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 PNG?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless format created in 1996 to avoid the patent problems around GIF. Because not a single pixel changes when you save and reopen it, it suits original artwork that goes through many edits.
What changes when you convert JPG to PNG
Converting doesn't add a transparent background
JPG has no transparency information, so converting to PNG keeps the background as it is. To remove a background you need a separate background-removal tool.
Quality doesn't improve, but it doesn't get worse either
Information lost when JPG was saved can't be recovered. PNG 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.
PNG has no quality setting
PNG is lossless, 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, PNG is much larger than JPG (roughly 3× or so). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller.
When to convert
- You'll edit it several times and want an intermediate file that no longer degrades
- You're preparing an image for typical PNG uses (logos and icons, screenshots)
- You want to tidy a JPG file into a format that's easier to edit or archive
JPG → PNG: practical tips
Converting JPG to PNG doesn't improve quality or make the background transparent. Information lost when the JPG was saved can't be restored, and a transparent background needs a separate background-removal step.
People convert to PNG mostly to keep editing without further degradation, or because a place accepts only PNG. The file can become several times larger.