PNG to JPG: when to convert, and when not to
Converting PNG to JPG is one of the most common image tasks — usually to shrink a file. But do it to the wrong image and you'll get a worse result, not a smaller one. Here's when it's the right move.
The core difference
PNG is lossless and supports transparency — great for logos, screenshots, and graphics with sharp edges. JPG is lossy and has no transparency — great for photographs, where it produces much smaller files. Converting PNG → JPG trades PNG's perfect fidelity and transparency for JPG's smaller size.
When converting to JPG makes sense
- The PNG is a photo. Photos saved as PNG are often huge; JPG can cut the size by 70%+ with no visible loss.
- You need to email or upload it and size limits are tight.
- A platform requires JPG and won't accept PNG.
- There's no transparency to lose.
When to keep the PNG
- It has transparency. This is the big one — see below.
- It's a logo, icon, screenshot, or has text/sharp lines. JPG's compression adds fuzzy artifacts around crisp edges; PNG keeps them clean.
- You'll edit it repeatedly. Every JPG re-save loses a little more quality.
The transparency trap
JPG can't store transparency. Convert a transparent PNG to JPG and the see-through areas get filled — usually with white or black.
If your logo had a transparent background, the JPG version will have a solid rectangle behind it. If you need both smaller size and transparency, convert to WebP instead — it does both.
Converting cleanly
For non-transparent images, PNG → JPG at ~85% quality is the sweet spot: big size savings, no visible loss. And browser-based conversion keeps the image on your device. Want more background on formats? See JPG vs PNG vs WebP.