PNG, JPG or WebP? How to Convert Images and Keep Them Small
Images come in different formats, and picking the wrong one means big files or blurry results. Here is a plain guide.
JPG
Best for photos. It makes small files by throwing away detail your eye does not notice. The downside is that it has no transparency, and text can look slightly fuzzy.
PNG
Best for logos, screenshots and drawings. It keeps sharp edges and supports a transparent background. Photos saved as PNG get very large.
WebP
A newer format made for websites. It is usually 25 to 35 percent smaller than JPG at similar quality, and it supports transparency. All modern browsers can show it.
Which should you choose?
- Photo for a website? WebP, or JPG if you want maximum compatibility.
- Logo or icon with a clear background? PNG or WebP.
- Screenshot with text? PNG.
How to convert
- Open the Image Compressor.
- Add one or many images at once.
- Choose the output format.
- Set the quality. Around 75 to 85 is a good start for photos.
- Optionally set a maximum width. A website rarely needs more than 1600 pixels.
- Download the results.
A note on PNG quality
PNG is lossless, so a quality slider does not work the same way as with JPG. To make a PNG smaller, the tool reduces the number of colours, which keeps it looking good for most pictures. Lower the quality slider if you want a smaller PNG.
Transparent images to JPG
JPG cannot be transparent. When you convert a transparent PNG to JPG, the clear areas become white, which is what most people want.
Bigger is not better
A phone photo may be 5000 pixels wide, but your page shows it at 800. Shrinking the size first often saves more than changing the format.
Everything is done inside your browser, so your photos are not uploaded anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting PNG to JPG lose quality?
A little, because JPG compresses by removing fine detail. At quality 80 to 90 the difference is hard to see in photos. For screenshots, text and logos, JPG can make edges fuzzy, so keep those as PNG.
Can I convert WebP to JPG?
Yes. Add the WebP file to the image compressor, choose JPG in Convert to and download. This is useful when a form or app does not accept WebP.
Why is my PNG bigger than the JPG?
PNG stores every pixel exactly, which suits flat graphics but makes photos large. A photo saved as PNG can be five to ten times the size of the same photo as JPG.
Which format is best for transparent backgrounds?
PNG and WebP both support transparency. JPG does not, so converting a transparent image to JPG fills the background with a solid colour, white by default.
Open the free Image Compressor. It runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.