JPG vs PNG vs WebP vs AVIF: Which Image Format Should I Use?

Use JPG for photos you share, print or upload to forms; PNG for screenshots, logos and anything that needs transparency or crisp text; and WebP or AVIF for images on a website, where smaller files load faster. To switch an image from one format to another, open Image Converter, choose the format under Convert to and click the convert button. It runs in your browser, so your images are never uploaded.

How do JPG, PNG, WebP and AVIF compare?

JPG (JPEG)

• Compression: lossy. It discards fine detail to keep files small, and loses a little more every time it is re-saved.
• Transparency: none. See-through areas must be filled with a colour.
• Compatibility: universal. Every device, app, printer and upload form accepts it.
• Best for: photos, especially anything you send to someone else or upload to a government, exam or job portal.

PNG

• Compression: lossless. Every pixel is stored exactly.
• Transparency: yes, including soft edges.
• Compatibility: universal.
• Best for: screenshots, logos, diagrams, graphics with text, and cut-outs. Photos saved as PNG are very large.

WebP

• Compression: lossy or lossless, usually smaller than JPG or PNG for the same look.
• Transparency: yes. It can also hold animation.
• Compatibility: supported by all current major browsers, but some older apps and many upload forms still refuse it.
• Best for: images on websites and in web apps.

AVIF

• Compression: lossy or lossless, often smaller than WebP at similar quality.
• Transparency: yes.
• Compatibility: supported by current versions of the major browsers, but many desktop apps, phones and online services can't open it yet. It is also slower to create; here it takes a few seconds per image.
• Best for: websites that want the smallest possible images, with a fallback for older software.

GIF is worth a mention only for simple animations. It is limited to 256 colours, which makes photos look grainy.

Which format should I use for photos?

For anything that leaves your hands (email, WhatsApp, printing, forms), use JPG. It is the one format you can be sure the other side can open. For photos on your own website, WebP or AVIF will usually be lighter at the same visual quality.

Exam and government portals in particular tend to list only JPG (and sometimes PNG or PDF). If a photo is in WebP or HEIC, convert it to JPG before uploading.

Which format should I use for logos, screenshots and transparent images?

Use PNG. Lossy formats blur sharp edges and add faint smudges around text and flat colour, which is very visible in screenshots and logos. PNG keeps them razor-sharp and supports a transparent background.

For a website, a transparent logo or product cut-out can be converted to WebP or AVIF to save weight while keeping the transparency. PNG to AVIF and PNG to WebP do exactly that.

What happens to transparency when I convert to JPG?

JPG can't store it, so transparent areas have to become a solid colour. In PNG to JPG and Image Converter, Background for transparent areas sets that colour. It is white by default; change it to match the page or document the image will sit on.

Does converting to a better format improve quality?

No. Converting a JPG to PNG gives you a lossless copy of the image as it is now: no further loss, but no recovered detail either, and a larger file. Converting a blurry, heavily compressed image to AVIF won't sharpen it. Always convert from the best original you have, and avoid chains like JPG → WebP → JPG, where each lossy step costs a little detail.

How do I convert an image to another format?

1. Open Image Converter, or a direct page such as JPG to WebP, PNG to AVIF, WebP to JPG or PNG to JPG.
2. Drop your images on the upload area. It reads JPG and JFIF, PNG, WebP, AVIF, GIF, HEIC, TIFF, BMP, ICO, PSD and SVG, and you can add as many as you like.
3. In Image Converter, choose the output under Convert to: JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, GIF, ICO, BMP, TIFF or SVG.
4. For JPG, WebP and AVIF, set Quality. It starts at 90% and goes down to 30%. Around 60–75% is usually a good balance for AVIF.
5. Optionally use Resize (optional) → Set width or Percentage to shrink large images at the same time.
6. Click Convert to WebP (or whichever format you chose). One file downloads directly; several come as a ZIP, and each has its own Download link.

How can I tell which format is smallest for my image?

Test it on your own image instead of relying on general rules. After each conversion, the results list shows the new file size and how much smaller or larger it is than the original. Convert the same photo to WebP and to AVIF at similar quality settings, open both, and keep whichever is smaller without visible damage. Graphics with large flat areas often behave very differently from photos, so test one of each if your site uses both.

Common mistakes

• Saving screenshots as JPG. Text gets fuzzy halos. Keep screenshots as PNG, or use WebP if size matters.
• Uploading WebP to a form that wants JPG. Images saved from websites often arrive as .webp. Run them through WebP to JPG first.
• Converting a logo to JPG and losing the transparent background. Pick a matching Background for transparent areas, or keep it as PNG.
• Expecting SVG output to be a perfect vector. Converting a PNG or JPG to SVG traces it into coloured shapes. That works well for logos and flat artwork, and roughly for photos.
• Serving only AVIF on a website. Keep a JPG or WebP version for software that can't read AVIF. The HTML picture element lets a browser pick the best format it supports.

Quick answers

Is WebP better than JPG?

For websites, usually yes: WebP files are typically smaller at similar quality and can be transparent. For sharing and form uploads, JPG is safer because every app and portal accepts it.

Is AVIF better than WebP?

AVIF often produces smaller files than WebP at similar visual quality and also supports transparency. It is slower to encode and less widely supported outside browsers, so keep a fallback.

Should I use PNG or JPG for photos?

Use JPG for photos: the files are far smaller and the slight loss is hard to see. Use PNG for screenshots, logos and images that need transparency.

How do I convert WebP to JPG?

Open WebP to JPG, add the file, set Quality and click Convert to JPG. Any transparent areas are filled with the background colour you choose, white by default.