JPG vs PNG vs WEBP: which format should you use?
Compare JPG, PNG, and WebP by image type, transparency, quality, and file size, then choose a format that works for your website, app, or files.
You have an image to save or share, and the format choices are not obvious. JPG, PNG, and WebP can all display the same picture, but they handle detail, transparency, and file size differently.
Use the format that fits the image and where it needs to open. The Image Converter can convert up to 50 images between JPG, PNG, and WebP in your browser.
Convert an image and check the result
- Open the Image Converter and select a copy of your image. Keep the original in case you need to try a different format.
- Choose JPG for a photograph, PNG for sharp artwork or transparency, or WebP for a web image when the destination accepts it.
- Convert the file. If you have many images, you can convert up to 50 at once, but try one first when the image has a transparent background or small text.
- Open the converted file and check that it looks right, has the transparency you need, and is accepted by the website or app where you plan to use it.
Compare the converted file's size with the original. A new format does not always make a file smaller. The result depends on the image, the compression used, and the converter's settings.
Which format should you use?
Use JPG for photographs
JPG, also called JPEG, is usually a practical choice for photos. It uses lossy compression, which reduces file size by discarding some image information. At a suitable quality level, the change may be hard to notice, and the smaller file is easier to email or upload.
JPG does not support transparency. Areas that were transparent in a source image must be filled with a background when saved as JPG. It is also a poor fit for crisp text, icons, and simple artwork. Compression can create fuzzy edges or blocks around strong contrasts, especially after repeated edits and saves.
Use PNG for transparency and sharp edges
PNG preserves image data without lossy compression and supports transparent pixels. Choose it for logos, icons, screenshots, diagrams, and images with text or clean edges. It is also useful when you need to keep transparent areas while moving an image between compatible apps.
PNG files can be much larger than JPG files for photographs. PNG avoids adding further lossy compression, but converting a JPG to PNG cannot restore details that the JPG already discarded. The PNG may simply be larger while retaining the same existing image quality.
Use WebP for many web images
WebP can use lossy or lossless compression, supports transparency, and can contain animation. It often produces smaller files than JPG or PNG at a similar visual quality, which can help a web page load images efficiently. It is a strong choice when you control the website or app and know WebP is accepted.
File size and appearance still depend on the image and how it was encoded. Some older software, upload forms, or devices may not accept WebP. If a site rejects the file, convert a copy to JPG or PNG and check that the new version looks correct.
Choose based on what the image needs to do
- A photo for email or general sharing: Use JPG if you want broad compatibility and a smaller file. Use PNG only if you need lossless editing or have a specific reason to preserve it that way.
- A logo with a transparent background: Use PNG for broad support, or WebP if the destination accepts it. Do not choose JPG if the transparent area needs to stay transparent.
- A screenshot with text or interface details: Use PNG to keep edges crisp. WebP can also work when the destination supports it and the output remains clear.
- An image for a website: Use WebP if your publishing system supports it. Otherwise, use JPG for photos and PNG for transparent or sharp-edged graphics.
- An animated image: WebP supports animation, but check that the service or app where you will use the file accepts animated WebP.
What conversion can and cannot change
Changing formats does not add pixels or recover detail missing from the source. Converting a small image to a larger PNG does not make it sharper. Saving a JPG as PNG does not undo the JPG's compression, and converting a transparent PNG to JPG cannot preserve its transparent background.
For a file you plan to edit again, keep a high-quality original and export a separate copy for sharing or publishing. This gives you a clean source to return to instead of repeatedly compressing the same JPG. TooLab's Image Converter runs in your browser, and the files you open stay on your device.
