You download an image from a website, try to paste it into a presentation and the program says it doesn't recognize the format. The extension is .webp. Or you upload a logo to a form and it shows up with an ugly white box where the transparency used to be. Choosing the right format avoids these problems, and keeps your images from weighing three times more than they need to.
JPG: the format for photos
JPG (or JPEG) has been around since 1992 and is designed for photographs. It uses lossy compression: it throws away fine color detail the eye can barely tell apart, which keeps files very small.
- ✅ Compatible with absolutely everything: programs, phones, forms, printers.
- ✅ Very good size-to-quality ratio for photos.
- ❌ No transparency.
- ❌ Text, thin lines and flat colors get artifacts (smudges around edges).
- ❌ It loses a little quality every time it's saved again.
PNG: for screenshots, logos and graphics
PNG uses lossless compression: the image is stored pixel for pixel exactly as it was. It also supports transparency.
- ✅ Perfect for screenshots, logos, icons, diagrams and anything with text.
- ✅ True transparency (alpha channel).
- ✅ You can edit and save it many times without degrading it.
- ❌ For photos it produces huge files: a photo saved as PNG can weigh five to ten times more than as JPG.
WebP: the modern web format
Google created WebP in 2010 for the web. It does both: lossy compression (like JPG) and lossless (like PNG), and it supports transparency.
- ✅ Files around 25–35% lighter than JPG or PNG at equivalent quality.
- ✅ Transparency even in lossy mode, something JPG can't do.
- ✅ Every current browser displays it.
- ❌ Some desktop programs, older versions of Office and many web forms still don't accept it.
That's why so many websites serve their images as WebP and, when you download them, you end up with a file your program won't open.
Which format to use: the quick table
| Use case | Recommended format |
|---|---|
| Photo to email or upload to a form | JPG |
| Photo to publish on your website | WebP |
| Screenshot with text | PNG |
| Logo or icon with a transparent background | PNG (or lossless WebP for the web) |
| Image for Word, PowerPoint or Excel | JPG (photos) or PNG (graphics) |
| Image for printing | High-quality JPG or PNG |
How to convert between formats
With the image converter you can convert several images at once between PNG, JPG and WebP. The most common cases:
- WebP to JPG: to use in Office or upload to a form that doesn't accept WebP.
- PNG to JPG: to shrink photos saved as PNG. Pick the background color for areas that were transparent.
- JPG or PNG to WebP: to publish on a website and make it load faster.
Keep in mind that converting doesn't recover lost quality: turning a JPG into a PNG won't remove its artifacts, it just makes the file heavier. Only convert to PNG if you're going to edit it a lot.
If besides changing the format you want a smaller file, use the image compressor, which lets you tune quality and cap the width. And if you need an exact size in pixels, try the image resizer.
What about AVIF or HEIC?
AVIF compresses even better than WebP and modern browsers already support it, but compatibility outside the browser is still lower. HEIC is the iPhone's default format: it's compact, but it causes trouble outside Apple's ecosystem. If your photos come out as HEIC, go to Settings › Camera › Formats and pick "Most Compatible" so they're saved as JPG.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open a WebP file?
Because the program you're using doesn't support it yet. Your browser does: drag the file into a tab to view it, or convert it to JPG or PNG to use it anywhere else.
Do I lose quality converting WebP to JPG?
A little, because JPG compresses again with loss. At 90% quality the difference isn't noticeable. If the image has transparency or text, convert it to PNG instead.
Which format is smallest?
For photos, WebP, followed by JPG; PNG is by far the heaviest. For simple graphics with few colors, PNG and lossless WebP can be lighter than JPG.
Are my images uploaded when I convert them?
No. Conversion happens in your browser with the Canvas API; images never leave your device.