How to Convert PNG to JPG (and When to Keep PNG)
PNG and JPG solve different problems. PNG stores every pixel exactly, which makes screenshots and logos look sharp but produces large files. JPG throws away detail the eye cannot notice, which shrinks photos dramatically. Converting a PNG to JPG is only the right move for images that do not rely on transparency.
What actually changes when you convert PNG to JPG
PNG is a lossless format. It stores the exact colour of every pixel, so converting a screenshot to JPG and back again would not restore the original file — JPG throws away information on purpose. That loss is what makes the file small.
JPG also cannot store transparency. Any transparent area in your PNG comes out as solid black or white in the result, unless the tool fills it with a background colour first. If your image has a transparent background, that alone is a reason to stay with PNG.
A typical photo is roughly 3 to 5 times smaller as JPG than as PNG. A flat-colour logo, on the other hand, is usually smaller as PNG because JPG's compression adds artefacts around hard edges.
- PNG keeps every pixel exact — best for screenshots, logos, charts, icons.
- JPG discards detail — best for photographs, illustrations with gradients.
- JPG has no transparency — a transparent PNG will lose its background.
How to convert a PNG to JPG in your browser
No installation is needed. Open the Image Converter, drop your PNG file in, choose JPG as the output format and set a quality level. Around 80 keeps the picture visually identical for most photographs while cutting the file size by more than half.
Everything happens locally in your browser, so the image never leaves your device. That matters when the file is a screenshot of a private document or a photo you have not published anywhere yet.
- Open the Image Converter and add your PNG file.
- Select JPG as the target format and pick a quality between 75 and 90.
- Download the result, or run it through the Image Compressor for an extra step down.
When you should keep the PNG instead
Keep PNG when the image contains text, line art, a screenshot of a user interface, or anything with a transparent background. JPG's compression smears thin dark lines on light backgrounds, which makes UI screenshots look blurry and text harder to read.
If the file is going into an email signature, a CSS background, or anywhere the background must stay see-through, PNG is the only safe choice. If you need both a photo version and a transparent version, convert twice from the original rather than converting the JPG back to PNG — the second conversion cannot undo the detail that was already discarded.