JPG, PNG or WebP: which image format should you use?
Picking the wrong format can make a file ten times bigger than it needs to be, or make text in a screenshot look smudged. Here is how to choose.
JPG: best for photos
JPG uses lossy compression tuned for photographs. At around 80 to 90% quality the difference is almost impossible to see, and files are small. It works everywhere.
It is poor at sharp edges and flat colour, so text and diagrams can pick up fuzzy “halos”. It also has no transparency: transparent areas turn white.
PNG: best for screenshots, logos and graphics
PNG is lossless, so every pixel is kept exactly. Text stays crisp, flat colours stay flat and transparency is supported.
The cost is size. A photo saved as PNG is often five to ten times larger than the same photo as a JPG.
WebP: best for websites
WebP was designed for the web. It can be lossy like JPG or lossless like PNG, supports transparency, and is usually noticeably smaller than both for the same quality.
All modern browsers display WebP. Some older desktop software, email clients and upload forms still don’t accept it, which is when converting WebP to PNG or JPG helps.
Quick decision guide
- Photo to email, print or upload: JPG.
- Screenshot, chart or anything with text: PNG.
- Logo or graphic that needs a transparent background: PNG, or WebP for a website.
- Images on your own website: WebP, with sensible dimensions.
- A form that rejects your file: JPG is the safest choice.
Size matters as much as format
A 4000-pixel-wide photo shown 800 pixels wide on a web page wastes most of its data. Resize images to roughly the largest size they will be displayed at, then compress. That alone often cuts file size by 80% or more.
The short version
Photos as JPG, sharp graphics as PNG, website images as WebP, and always resize before you compress.