PNG vs JPG: When to Use Each

You're saving an image and the software asks: PNG or JPG? Does it actually matter?

Yes—but not in complicated ways. Here's the quick version.

Use JPG for photos

JPG uses lossy compression, meaning it throws away some image data to make files smaller. For photos, this works great because human eyes can't really see the difference.

A 12 megapixel photo might be 8MB uncompressed, 4MB as PNG, or 1MB as JPG. At reasonable quality settings, all three look identical to most people.

JPG is right for:

• Photographs
• Images with lots of colors and gradients
• Anything where file size matters more than pixel-perfect accuracy

Use PNG for graphics

PNG uses lossless compression—it makes files smaller without throwing anything away. Every pixel stays exactly as you intended.

PNG is right for:

• Logos and icons
• Screenshots with text
• Graphics with sharp edges
• Anything needing transparency
• Images you plan to edit repeatedly

The transparency thing

JPG doesn't support transparency. If you need a transparent background—say, a logo that can go over any color—you need PNG (or WebP, or AVIF, but those have their own compatibility issues).

If your image has a solid background and doesn't need transparency, JPG is usually the better choice.

The quality thing

Every time you save a JPG, it recompresses and loses a little quality. Save the same JPG 20 times and you'll start to see degradation.

PNG doesn't have this problem. Edit and save as many times as you want.

This is why photographers often shoot in RAW, edit there, and only export to JPG once at the end.

File size comparison

For a typical photograph:

• PNG: Large (lossless, keeps everything)
• JPG at 90%: Much smaller, looks the same
• JPG at 50%: Even smaller, visible quality loss

For a simple graphic (logo, icon):

• PNG: Surprisingly small (compresses solid colors well)
• JPG: Might actually be larger, and edges look fuzzy

The decision tree

1. Does it need transparency? → PNG
2. Is it a photo? → JPG
3. Is it a graphic with text or sharp edges? → PNG
4. Still not sure? → JPG for photos, PNG for everything else

When to convert

Sometimes you have a PNG that should be JPG (like a photo saved as PNG—wastefully large) or a JPG that should be PNG (like a logo with white background that you want transparent).

For the first case, converting to JPG will shrink your file size dramatically. For the second, you'd need actual photo editing software to remove the background and save as PNG.

Most of the time, if someone gives you a file in a specific format, they probably had a reason. But if you're dealing with a photo that's weirdly large, check if it's a PNG—converting to JPG is an easy win.