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JPEG vs PNG vs WebP
Choose the right image format for photos, graphics, transparency, and the web.
Use JPEG for broadly compatible photos, PNG for lossless graphics or transparency, and WebP when you want modern compression with photo and transparency support. The source and destination matter more than a universal winner.
Quick comparison
| Format | Best fit | Transparency | Typical trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPEG | Photos and email attachments | No | Small files, lossy edges |
| PNG | Logos, UI captures, diagrams | Yes | Lossless but often large for photos |
| WebP | Web photos and transparent assets | Yes | Good compression; check destination support |
Choose by content
JPEG handles gradual color changes efficiently, making it dependable for camera images. Repeated JPEG saves can accumulate ringing and blocks, so edit from the original and export once.
PNG preserves exact pixel values and clean edges. That helps screenshots and illustrations with limited colors. It is usually inefficient for noisy photographs because lossless compression must preserve every variation.
WebP can encode both lossy photos and lossless or transparent graphics. It is well supported in current browsers, but a specific CMS, print workflow, or older desktop application may still reject it. Verify the final destination before converting a whole library.
Conversion is not restoration
Putting a JPEG inside a PNG file does not restore detail removed by JPEG compression; it often only increases size. Converting PNG artwork to a low-quality lossy WebP can blur fine text. Compare the output and keep the original asset as the editable master.