JPG, PNG or WebP: How to Convert Between Image Formats

The three formats in short

• JPG is made for photos. It gives small files and opens almost everywhere, but it has no transparency and loses some detail each time it is saved.
• PNG is lossless and supports transparency. It suits screenshots, logos and graphics with sharp edges, but files made from photos are large.
• WebP is a newer format that often gives smaller files than JPG or PNG and can keep transparency. Some older programs cannot open it.

Which converter to use

• JPG to PNG: when a program or service asks for PNG.
• PNG to JPG: when you want a smaller file and do not need transparency.
• JPG / PNG to WebP: when you want a smaller file for a website or app that supports WebP.
• WebP to JPG / PNG: when you downloaded a WebP image and a program will not open it.

Converting step by step

• Open the converter you need and choose your image, or drag it into the upload area.
• Adjust the options that appear, such as quality or background color.
• Select the convert button and check the preview and the file sizes before and after.
• Download the converted file.

What happens to transparency

JPG cannot be transparent. When you convert a PNG or WebP with transparent areas to JPG, those areas are filled with the background color you choose, white or black. If you need to keep transparency, keep the file as PNG or convert it to WebP.

Going the other way does not add transparency. A JPG converted to PNG will not have transparent areas, because the original never had any.

What happens to the file size

• JPG to PNG usually makes the file larger. PNG is lossless, but it cannot bring back detail the JPG has already lost.
• PNG to JPG is usually smaller, especially for photos. Lower quality makes it smaller still, at the cost of softer edges and text.
• To WebP, the file is often smaller, but not always. If it comes out larger than the original, lower the quality.
• From WebP, a PNG is usually much larger than the WebP. A JPG is usually smaller than a PNG but can still be larger than the original WebP.
• The result always shows the real size before and after, so you can compare.

Animated WebP files

An animated WebP is converted to a still image using the first frame only. The tool shows a warning when it detects an animated file, so you know the result will not move.

Limits to know

• Input: one image up to 25 MB and 50 megapixels.
• Your browser must be able to create the output format. If you see a message that it cannot create WebP files, try another browser.
• Each conversion works on one image at a time. The Batch Image Converter handles several images at once.

Keep your original

Converting to JPG or WebP at a lower quality removes detail permanently. Keep your original file and use the converted one as a copy, especially before you delete anything.