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Format Guide
When to use PNG vs JPG
1 min read
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PNG and JPG are the two most common image formats online, but they serve different purposes.
JPG — Best for photos
- Lossy compression — Some quality is lost on each save
- Small file size — Great for photographs with complex color gradients
- No transparency — Background is always opaque
- 8-bit color — 16.7 million colors
- Best for: Photos, screenshots with photographic content, social media images
PNG — Best for graphics
- Lossless compression — No quality loss, pixel-perfect reproduction
- Transparency support — Full alpha channel for see-through backgrounds
- Larger files — Especially for photographic content
- 8-bit or 24-bit color — With optional alpha channel
- Best for: Logos, icons, screenshots, text-heavy images, anything with transparency
Quick decision guide
| Content type | Use |
|---|---|
| Photograph | JPG |
| Logo or icon | PNG |
| Screenshot of text/code | PNG |
| Image with transparency | PNG |
| Social media post (photo) | JPG |
| Web graphic with solid colors | PNG |
| Image for printing | PNG (or TIFF) |
Modern alternatives
Consider WebP as a replacement for both — it handles photos (lossy) and graphics with transparency (lossless) in a single format with smaller file sizes. AVIF offers even better compression but has slightly less browser support.
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