PNG to JPG

When to convert PNG to JPG

PNG is the right format for images that require lossless storage - logos, icons, screenshots, and graphics where every pixel must be reproduced exactly. But PNG's lossless approach produces very large files for photographic content, where the image contains millions of subtly varied colour values that PNG must store individually. A photographic PNG is commonly four to eight times larger than the same image as a JPEG, with no visible quality advantage when displayed.

Converting photographic PNGs to JPG before sharing by email, embedding in documents, or hosting on a website reduces file size substantially and speeds up delivery. The conversion is appropriate when the image contains no transparency, is intended for final delivery rather than further editing, and contains realistic photographic content rather than sharp geometric shapes or text. After converting, compressing the JPG can reduce the file size even further.

Transparency does not survive conversion

JPG does not support a transparency channel. Any pixels that were transparent in the source PNG are replaced with white in the JPG output. This is the expected and correct behaviour for converting flat photographic images, but it means PNG to JPG is the wrong path for logos, icons, and product images where the transparent background is part of the design. For those assets, keep the PNG or convert to WebP, which supports both transparency and efficient compression for photographic content. For a full breakdown of when to choose each format, the PNG to JPG conversion guide covers the tradeoffs and common pitfalls.