PNG, JPG or WEBP: which to use when
Key points
- JPG for photos, PNG for crisp graphics
- WEBP is lightest for the web
- JPG has no transparency
PNG, JPG and WEBP are the formats people hesitate between most. All three are raster formats, but they compress differently, so each suits different images.
JPG: made for photos
JPG greatly reduces file size by discarding detail the eye barely notices. This is called lossy compression. In photos with smooth color changes it is hardly visible, which is why cameras and phones save photos as JPG by default.
- Pros: small photo files that open anywhere.
- Cons: no transparency, smudges around text and lines, and quality drops every time it is saved again.
PNG: when crispness matters
PNG uses lossless compression, so nothing is thrown away. Quality never changes when saved, and it can store transparent backgrounds. Complex images like photos, however, make large files.
- Pros: no quality loss, transparency, clean text, lines and flat color.
- Cons: photos are several times larger than JPG.
WEBP: the all-rounder for the web
WEBP can do both lossy and lossless compression and supports transparency. At similar quality it is usually lighter than JPG or PNG, so it is widely used for website images.
- Pros: light, with transparency and lossy compression together.
- Cons: print shops, older apps and some upload forms may not accept it.
Choosing by situation
| Situation | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Emailing phone photos | JPG |
| Logos, icons (transparent) | PNG, or WEBP or SVG on the web |
| Screenshots, text-heavy charts | PNG |
| Blog and store images | WEBP |
| Files you are still editing | PNG (or your editor's own format) |
| Photos for a print shop | High-quality JPG or whatever the printer asks for |
Remember when converting
Turning a JPG into PNG doesn't bring back lost quality. Turning a transparent PNG into JPG makes the transparent areas white. And resizing an image appropriately saves far more space than changing format alone. See how to reduce image file size.