JPG, PNG and WebP Explained for Beginners
Key points
- JPG for photos, PNG for text and diagrams
- WebP is light but may not work in older environments
- If unsure: JPG for photos, PNG for diagrams
JPG
Suited to photos and keeps files small. Re-saving many times degrades quality little by little. Works in nearly all apps and sites.
PNG
Suited to text, diagrams, illustrations and screenshots, and saves them crisply. It also handles transparent backgrounds. For photos the file tends to be large.
WebP
A newer format designed for the web; at the same quality it is often smaller than JPG or PNG. However, older software and some services can't use it.
How to choose
- Submitting or sharing photos: JPG
- Logos, diagrams, text-heavy images: PNG
- Making your own website lighter: WebP
- Not sure: JPG
To change format
"Convert Image Format" converts in the browser. Images aren't sent anywhere.
Use "Convert Image Format (JPG, PNG, WebP)" (free)Tools that go well with this
- Convert HEIC to JPG: Convert HEIC photos from iPhone to JPG or PNG.
- Compress & Resize Images: Make image files smaller, and resize them if you like.
- Crop & Rotate Image: Crop an image to any area or ratio, and rotate it.