PNG vs JPG: what's the difference, and how to convert PNG to JPG

A 4 MB screenshot rejected by a form, an online shop that requires JPG photos, a folder of images too heavy to email: choosing an image format has very concrete consequences. PNG and JPG are the two most common formats, but they are not meant for the same things.

This guide explains the difference between PNG and JPG in plain terms, which format to choose for each kind of image, and how to convert PNG to JPG online.

PNG and JPG at a glance

	PNG	JPG
Compression	Lossless	Lossy (adjustable)
Transparency	Yes	No
Size for a photo	Heavy	Light
Best for	Logos, screenshots, diagrams, text	Photos, images to share, the web

JPG compresses the image by discarding details the eye barely notices. For a photo, the size saving is huge and the loss practically invisible. For fine text or a logo with flat colours, small traces ("artefacts") can appear around edges.

PNG keeps every pixel exactly and supports transparency. It is the best choice for a logo, an icon or a screenshot containing text, but it is much heavier for a photo.

When should you convert PNG to JPG?

• A photo saved as PNG (often a screenshot of a photo, or an app export): the JPG will be far lighter.
• A website or platform that only accepts JPG.
• Emailing many images.
• A portfolio or gallery where page weight matters.

On the other hand, keep PNG for a logo with a transparent background, an icon or a technical diagram.

Convert PNG to JPG, step by step

1. Open PNG to JPG.
2. Drop one or more PNG images.
3. Run the conversion and download your JPGs.

The tool is free, up to 5 files per day (each image counts as one file). Conversion happens in your browser: your images are not uploaded to our servers. Dimensions and colours are kept.

What about transparency?

JPG has no transparency. During conversion, transparent areas become white, just as with desktop software. If your logo must keep a transparent background, stay with PNG, or use WebP, which combines transparency and small file size.

Reduce the size even more

The resulting JPG can be shrunk further or resized for the web:

• Compress an image: adjust the quality (70 to 80% is often enough) and choose JPG, WebP or PNG as output;
• reduce the dimensions: a 4,000-pixel-wide image is pointless on a website, where 1,280 to 1,920 pixels is plenty.

Other useful conversions

• JPG to PNG for the reverse;
• WEBP to JPG for images downloaded from the web;
• HEIC to JPG for iPhone photos;
• JPG to PDF to gather images into a document.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting PNG to JPG reduce quality?

Slightly, because JPG is compressed, but the conversion uses a high quality setting: on a photo, the difference is invisible. For very fine text, keep the PNG.

Why does my logo have a white background after converting?

Because JPG has no transparency: transparent areas become white. Keep PNG for logos.

Can I convert several PNGs at once?

Yes, drop them together. If one is damaged, the others are still converted and the failed file is named.

Do my images leave my device?

Not for the conversion, which runs in your browser. Only the daily allowance count goes through our servers, without the image content.

Which format should I use for a photo on a website?

JPG or WebP, at reasonable dimensions (1,280 to 1,920 pixels wide) and with quality around 75 to 85%.