Choose JPG for photos
JPG handles continuous tones well and usually produces smaller files for camera photos. It does not support transparency and can show blocky artifacts if over-compressed.
Choose PNG for graphics
PNG is great for UI screenshots, logos, and images that need a transparent background. Photo PNGs are often much larger than an equivalent JPG.
Converting safely
Use JPG to PNG when you need a PNG container for a workflow that expects PNG. Use PNG to JPG when you need a smaller photo for the web — transparent pixels are filled with a solid background. Converting a heavily compressed JPG to PNG will not restore lost detail.
Quick decision guide
Camera photo → JPG (then compress). Logo with transparent background → PNG. Screenshot of a UI → PNG, or JPG if size matters more than crisp edges. iPhone HEIC → convert to JPG first with HEIC to JPG.
Opens the matching Bratora tool for this guide.
FAQ
Which is better for Instagram?
Platforms re-encode uploads anyway. Start with a reasonably sized JPG for photos; use PNG only when you need transparency.
Should I always use PNG for “quality”?
No. PNG is larger for photos and does not undo JPG compression.