JPG, PNG or WEBP: Which Image Format Should You Use?
Three formats cover almost everything. Picking the right one is usually worth more than any amount of compressing the wrong one.
Almost every image you deal with will be a JPG, a PNG or a WEBP. They are not interchangeable: each throws away different things, and using the wrong one is the most common reason a file is either far too big or unexpectedly ugly.
JPG β photographs
Lossy, no transparency, and extremely good at photographic content. Millions of subtly varying colours compress beautifully. Use it for photos of people, places and objects, anywhere you do not need a transparent background. Avoid it for text, screenshots and logos, where its compression leaves visible fringing around hard edges.
PNG β flat colour, text and transparency
Lossless, supports transparency, and excellent at sharp edges and flat regions. Use it for logos, icons, interface screenshots and anything that has to sit on a coloured background. Avoid it for photographs, where it produces enormous files for no visible benefit.
WEBP β smaller than both, for the web
Supports both lossy and lossless modes and transparency, and is typically meaningfully smaller than JPG or PNG at comparable quality. Browser support has been universal for years, so for images on a website it is usually the best choice. The friction is outside the browser: some desktop software and upload forms still will not accept it.
A rule of thumb
On a website, WEBP. A photo to send someone or upload to a form, JPG. A logo, screenshot or anything transparent, PNG β or WEBP if it is staying on the web. When a form rejects your file, converting to JPG is nearly always the answer.
Convert between them now β free
The converter switches between all three in your browser, keeping transparency where the target format supports it. No watermark, no sign-up.
