What is JPG?
JPG (also written JPEG) is the most widely supported photo format. It uses lossy compression tuned for photographs, which keeps files small, but it has no transparency. JPG is best for photos, e-mail attachments, social media and any upload form. JPG cannot store transparency, and repeated saving or strong compression adds blocky artefacts around edges and text.
What is PNG?
PNG is a lossless raster format: every pixel is kept exactly, and it supports full transparency (alpha channel). It is the standard for logos, screenshots, icons and graphics with text or sharp edges. PNG is best for logos, screenshots, graphics with text and anything that needs a transparent background.
When should you convert JPG to PNG?
- A design tool, app store, print template or form asks specifically for PNG.
- You will edit the image several times and do not want JPG compression to add up with each save.
- You plan to add text, logos or a transparent background later in an editor.
Tips for the best result
Converting to PNG freezes the image in a lossless format: no further quality is lost when you edit and save again. It does not remove artefacts that are already in the JPG, and it does not make the background transparent by itself — use Remove Background for that.
JPG vs PNG at a glance
| JPG | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Raster | Raster |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes (full alpha) |
| Animation | No | No (APNG rarely used) |
| Compatibility | Universal | Universal |
| Best for | Photos, e-mail attachments, social media and any upload form | Logos, screenshots, graphics with text and anything that needs a transparent background |