Does PNG to JPG Lose Quality? When to Convert and What Changes
By Akmal Ali · Published · Updated · 4 min read
Convert at a JPG quality of 90–95%, and a photo will look the same as the PNG at a fraction of the file size. Choose a background colour for any transparent areas, because JPG can’t store transparency. Keep logos, screenshots with small text and transparent images as PNG or WebP.
A photo saved as PNG can be many times larger than it needs to be, which is a problem when an upload form has a size limit or only accepts JPG. Converting it to JPG fixes both. Done with the right settings, nobody will see the difference, but it’s worth knowing what JPG changes before you convert everything.
Can you convert PNG to JPG without losing quality?
Strictly, no: JPG is a lossy format, so some data is always discarded. In practice, a photo saved as JPG at 90–95% quality looks the same as the PNG at normal viewing size, while the file is much smaller. What JPG handles badly is sharp-edged graphics, and it can’t keep transparency at all.
| Photos | Screenshots, logos, text | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Much smaller | Sometimes smaller, sometimes larger |
| Visible quality at 90–95% | Looks the same | Soft edges and faint halos around text |
| Transparency | Filled with a solid colour | |
| Width and height | Unchanged | |
When to convert PNG to JPG
- Photos saved as PNG, such as exports from editing apps or scans. This is where the savings are biggest.
- Upload forms that accept only JPG, common for applications, marketplaces and older systems.
- Email and messaging, where smaller attachments send faster.
When should you keep PNG?
- Logos, icons and diagrams with flat colours and hard edges. PNG stores them efficiently and exactly.
- Screenshots with small text, which JPG blurs.
- Anything that needs a transparent background. If you want a smaller file and transparency, use PNG to WebP instead.
Converting
In the PNG to JPG converter, pick the quality (92% by default, see below) and the colour for transparent areas, then add up to 30 PNGs; the old and new sizes are shown side by side.
PNG to JPG
Set the quality and background colour, and compare file sizes before you download.
Which quality setting should you choose?
- 90–95%: looks identical to the PNG for almost any photo. The safe choice.
- 80–85%: noticeably smaller, with a slight softening only visible when you zoom in.
- Below about 70%: artefacts start to appear in skies, skin and smooth gradients, and below about 50% they turn into visible blocks.
Choose the quality once and convert from the original PNG. Converting the same image to JPG several times, or editing and re-saving a JPG, loses a little more each time. For more on balancing size and quality, see how to compress an image without losing too much quality.
What happens to a transparent background?
JPG has no way to store transparency, so every transparent pixel has to be given a colour. Converters that simply drop the transparency often fill those pixels with black, which is why a logo can come out on a black square.
A better converter lets you choose the fill. White suits most documents, product photos and logos placed on white pages. Pick black or a custom colour when the JPG will sit on a dark or coloured background. If you want to set the colour and keep the PNG format, use Add Background Color to Image first.
Converting without a website
- Windows: open the PNG in Paint and choose File › Save as › JPEG picture.
- Mac: open the PNG in Preview, choose File › Export, set Format to JPEG and adjust the quality slider.
Neither app lets you choose the colour that replaces transparent areas, so check the edges of a logo or cut-out image after converting.
Check the result
Open the JPG next to the PNG at 100% zoom. Look at fine detail, text and smooth areas such as sky. If you can’t tell them apart, the conversion worked. If text looks fuzzy, keep that image as PNG. Going the other way? See when converting JPG to PNG is worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn the JPG back into a PNG to restore the quality?
No. A PNG made from the JPG keeps its pixels exactly, including any softening the JPG added; the detail it removed is gone. Keep the original PNG if you might need it again.
How do I convert many PNGs at once?
Add up to 30 at a time to the converter and download them together as a ZIP file. On a Mac, Preview can also export several selected images at once with File › Export Selected Images.
Does converting remove the PNG’s metadata?
In the VektraTool converter, yes: the JPG is a new file without the PNG’s text fields or EXIF data. Desktop apps vary, and some copy metadata across.
What if the JPG must be under a certain size?
Convert first, then compress the JPG to the limit with a compress-to-size tool. If it still won’t fit, reduce the dimensions, which saves far more than lowering the quality.