JPG vs PNG: Which Image Format Should You Use?
JPG and PNG are the two most common image formats on the web, but they are good at very different things. Here is a simple, practical guide to choosing the right one every time.
JPG and PNG are the two image formats you will meet most often, and picking the wrong one can mean either a blurry photo or a needlessly huge file. The choice comes down to what is actually in the image.
The short answer
Use JPG for photographs and detailed, colourful images. Use PNG when you need a transparent background or crisp edges on text, logos, icons and screenshots.
How JPG works
JPG uses lossy compression, which throws away detail your eye is unlikely to notice in order to make files small. That is perfect for photos, where tiny changes are invisible, but it adds artefacts around sharp text and hard edges. JPG also cannot store transparency.
How PNG works
PNG uses lossless compression, so it keeps every pixel exactly. That makes it ideal for logos, screenshots and any graphic with sharp lines or transparency. The trade-off is that PNG photos are much larger than the JPG equivalent.
Converting between them
Need to switch formats? Use the free PNG to JPG Converter to shrink a heavy PNG photo, or the JPG to PNG Converter when you need transparency or lossless editing. After converting a photo to JPG, run it through the Image Compressor.
A quick decision checklist
- Photograph for a blog post? JPG, then compress.
- Logo or icon with transparency? PNG.
- Screenshot with text? PNG for clarity.
- Need the smallest possible photo? JPG or WebP.