Start with what the image contains
A photograph has gradual changes in color and texture. A logo often has hard edges, flat colors and sometimes a transparent background. The image format you choose should match those properties and the places where the file will be opened.
JPEG (or JPG) is broadly compatible and well suited to photographs. It uses lossy compression, so small details change when the file is saved. A modest quality setting can make a photo much smaller without an obvious difference at normal viewing size. JPEG does not support transparency. If you convert a transparent image to JPEG, choose a background color first; our JPG tool uses white.
PNG stores raster pixels without JPEG-style loss and supports transparency. It works well for diagrams, screenshots, interface elements and graphics with crisp text. A large photographic PNG is often much heavier than a well encoded JPEG or WebP, so do not use PNG for every image automatically.
WebP can offer efficient lossy compression and transparency in one format. It is useful for many modern web pages. Some older apps or workflows may require JPEG or PNG, so keep the original when compatibility matters. A smaller WebP is not automatically better: look at fine edges, hair, gradients and text after exporting.
A quick decision process
- If the image is a photo and broad compatibility matters, start with JPEG.
- If the image needs transparent pixels or exact raster preservation, try PNG.
- If the image is going on a website and your audience uses modern browsers, compare a WebP export with the source.
- Inspect the actual download. Format names alone do not guarantee quality or a smaller file.
Converting a low-quality JPEG into PNG cannot restore detail that was already lost. Repeatedly editing and saving a JPEG can introduce new artifacts. Keep a high-quality source, then export delivery copies for each destination.
Use Convert to JPG, Convert to PNG and Convert to WebP to compare real output files in your browser.