What converting JPG to PNG does (and doesn't do)
Converting JPEG to PNG changes the container, not the picture. The PNG holds exactly the pixels that were in the JPG, including any blockiness or color banding the JPG compression already introduced. It can't restore detail, and it won't make the image sharper.
What it does do is stop further damage. JPEG is lossy, so every time you open, edit and save a JPG, the encoder throws a little more away. A PNG saves losslessly, so a photo you edit ten times as PNG looks the same as one you edited once.
- Expect a bigger file. PNG is lossless, so a photo as PNG is often several times the size of the JPG.
- Your background won't become transparent. A JPG has a solid background, and the PNG keeps it. Use Image Transparent for a plain background or the Background Remover for a photo.
JPG vs PNG: which format to use
A quick way to choose: photographs travel best as JPG, while graphics, screenshots and anything you're still editing are happier as PNG.
If a JPG already looks blocky or smudged, converting it to PNG will preserve those flaws exactly. Start from the best original you have, such as the camera file or the first export, rather than a copy that has been shared and re-saved several times.
| JPG | PNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| File size for photos | Small | Large |
| Best for | Sharing photos, web, email | Editing, logos, screenshots, graphics |
Other ways to change a JPG to PNG
On Windows, open the image in Paint and choose Save as → PNG picture. On a Mac, open it in Preview, then File → Export and choose PNG. On iPhone and Android there's no built-in option, which is where a browser converter helps: open this page, pick the photo from your gallery, and download the PNG.
Whichever method you use, the result is the same pixels in a new container, so pick the one that's quickest for you. When you've finished editing and want to share the image, convert it back to JPG at high quality to get the small file size again. Keeping one PNG master and exporting JPGs from it is a simple workflow that never stacks up compression damage.
