JPG, PNG or WebP: which format should you use?
You have an image and three common ways to save it. They are not interchangeable, and picking the wrong one means either a blurry picture or a file ten times bigger than it needs to be. Here is how to choose.
The short answer
- Photos: JPG, or WebP if the place you are using it accepts it.
- Screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with sharp text: PNG.
- Anything that needs a transparent background: PNG or WebP. JPG can’t do transparency.
- Pictures for a website: WebP is usually the smallest option.
The three, side by side
| Format | Best for | Transparency | Compression |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPG | Photos and anything with smooth gradients | No | Lossy: smaller files, some detail lost |
| PNG | Screenshots, logos, text, line art | Yes | Lossless: nothing lost, bigger files |
| WebP | Web images; a good all-rounder | Yes | Lossy or lossless |
Why photos suit JPG
A photo is full of subtle colour changes, and JPG is built to store those cheaply by discarding detail your eye is unlikely to miss. At sensible quality settings the loss is invisible, and the file is a fraction of the size of the same picture saved as PNG.
Why screenshots suit PNG
Text and hard edges are where JPG shows its weakness: you see fuzzy halos around letters. PNG keeps every pixel exactly as it was, which is why screenshots and logos look crisp. The cost is size, since photos saved as PNG get big fast.
Where WebP fits
WebP is a newer format that can behave like either of the others. It is often 25 to 35 percent smaller than JPG at similar quality, and it handles transparency. Every major modern browser supports it. The catch is older software: some email programs and editors still don’t open WebP files, which is why people end up searching for a way to turn WebP back into JPG.
What happens when you convert
- PNG to JPG shrinks photos a lot. Transparent areas can’t survive, so they become a solid colour. Check the corners afterwards. Use PNG to JPG.
- JPG to PNG does not restore detail that is already gone. It only stops further loss, and the file gets bigger. It is useful when you need transparency or plan to edit the picture repeatedly. Use JPG to PNG.
- JPG to WebP is a straightforward size win for web pages. Use JPG to WebP.
- WebP to JPG gets you a file almost anything can open. Use WebP to JPG.
One habit worth having
Every time you save a lossy image again, it loses a little more. Keep the original, convert from it, and don’t pass the same picture through JPG over and over. If the goal is just a smaller file, Compress Image lets you pick the quality directly or aim for a target size in KB.
Convert an image
Change the format in your browser. The picture is not uploaded anywhere.
Open JPG to WebP