Save the same photo as JPG, PNG and WebP and you can end up with three files where one is ten times the size of another — yet they look almost identical on screen. Choosing the right format is one of the easiest ways to make images load faster, fit under upload limits and look right.
The Short Answer
| Use | Best format |
|---|---|
| Photos for forms, email, WhatsApp | JPG |
| Photos on a website | WebP (with JPG as fallback if needed) |
| Logos, icons, text graphics | PNG or WebP |
| Anything needing a transparent background | PNG or WebP |
| Screenshots with text | PNG |
| Printing | JPG at high quality, or the original file |
JPG (JPEG): The Universal Photo Format
JPG uses lossy compression — it throws away detail your eye is unlikely to notice to make files small.
- Strengths: small files for photos; accepted everywhere, including government and university portals.
- Weaknesses: no transparency; text and sharp edges can get blurry "halos"; quality drops each time you re-save.
JPG is the safe default for any photograph you need to upload or share.
PNG: Sharp Edges and Transparency
PNG uses lossless compression, so every pixel is kept exactly.
- Strengths: crisp text, lines and flat colours; supports transparency; no quality loss when re-saved.
- Weaknesses: photos become very large files.
PNG is ideal for logos, diagrams, screenshots and images with a cut-out background — for example, after using Remove Background.
WebP: The Modern Web Format
WebP was designed for the web and supports both lossy and lossless modes, plus transparency.
- Strengths: typically smaller than JPG at similar quality and smaller than PNG for graphics; supports transparency.
- Weaknesses: some older software, printers and upload forms still don't accept it.
For websites and blogs, WebP is usually the best choice for speed. For files you send to other people or organisations, JPG is still safer.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | JPG | PNG | WebP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless | Lossy or lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes | Yes |
| Photo file size | Small | Large | Smallest |
| Graphics/text quality | Can blur | Excellent | Excellent |
| Compatibility | Everywhere | Everywhere | Modern browsers, most apps |
Common Mistakes
- Saving photos as PNG "for quality" — it makes huge files with no visible benefit. Read lossy vs lossless image compression for why.
- Saving logos as JPG — edges get fuzzy and transparent areas turn white.
- Re-saving a JPG again and again — each save loses a little more quality. Edit from the original where possible.
- Uploading WebP to a form that expects JPG — convert it first.
iPhone Photos: HEIC
iPhones often save photos as HEIC, which many websites and Windows programs can't open. Convert them with HEIC to JPG before uploading. More on this in what is a HEIC file.
Making Any Format Smaller
Whatever format you choose, you can usually shrink the file further without visible loss using Image Compress. For websites specifically, see how to compress images for a website, and if you need to adjust dimensions or crop first, the Image Editor handles basic edits in your browser.
