Image Converter
Convert images between PNG, JPEG, and WebP formats. Batch conversion with quality control. Free online image format converter
Converting between PNG, JPEG, and WebP is one of the most common image operations and one of the most error-prone — losing transparency when going to JPEG, blowing up file size when going from JPEG to PNG, or accidentally compressing a screenshot 4x because the converter defaults to "quality 75". This converter shows the trade-offs (transparency support, lossy vs lossless, typical file size delta) before you commit and lets you batch-convert a folder.
What conversion actually loses or gains
- PNG → JPEG: lose transparency (becomes solid white or another chosen color). Get ~10x smaller file for photos. Bad idea for screenshots with text.
- JPEG → PNG: gain transparency support (but nothing transparent in the source). File gets 5-20x bigger. Useful only if you plan to edit further and want lossless.
- PNG → WebP: keep transparency. File gets 25-35% smaller at equivalent visual quality. Modern default for new content.
- JPEG → WebP: still lossy, but smaller. WebP's lossy mode beats JPEG on most content; the gain is biggest on photos.
- WebP → JPEG/PNG: necessary for legacy tools (old WordPress, Office, some email clients). Round-trip is lossy if WebP was lossy.
- HEIC → JPEG/PNG: iPhone's HEIC format. Browsers do not display HEIC directly. Convert on receipt; HEIC patent-encumbered.
- GIF → WebP/MP4: animated GIF is hugely inefficient. WebP animation 30-50% smaller; MP4 video 80-95% smaller. Convert any non-historical animated content.
Working example: a screenshot pipeline
Input
A 1920×1080 macOS screenshot (.png) for a blog post
Output
Source PNG (uncompressed): 3.2 MB Conversion options: PNG-8 (256 colors): 980 KB /* visible banding on the gradient menu bar */ JPEG q=92: 420 KB /* slight blur on text — bad */ WebP q=90 lossy: 175 KB /* visually identical, recommended */ WebP lossless: 780 KB /* pixel-perfect, beats PNG */ AVIF q=85: 92 KB /* best quality/size; slow encode */ For a blog post hero: WebP q=90. 95% size reduction, no visible loss. For archive: WebP lossless or original PNG.
WebP at quality 85-90 is the right default for almost all web use in 2026. The exception is print-quality archival masters and SVG-source PNGs where pixel-perfect matters.
When transparency matters
- Logos and icons — always keep transparent background. Convert PNG ↔ WebP (both support alpha). Never go to JPEG.
- Photo cutouts — same. Background-removed photos use transparency. JPEG would force a fixed background color.
- Photographs without transparent areas �� JPEG and WebP-lossy are both fine. PNG wastes space.
- Screenshots of solid backgrounds — JPEG or WebP-lossy; transparent background not needed.
- UI mockups with rounded corners — keep PNG transparency or use WebP. The rounded corner crops with alpha; JPEG would show a colored rectangle around them.
Color profile gotchas
Photos shot on modern phones often have wide-gamut color profiles (P3 on iPhone, AdobeRGB on some Android). Converting to JPEG without preserving the profile usually clamps to sRGB — colors become "less vivid". Most automated converters drop the profile silently; specialized tools (ImageMagick with `-strip` vs `-profile`) keep it.
For web use: convert to sRGB (everyone's device displays sRGB correctly). For print or archival: preserve the source profile. For most users in most cases, accept the color shift and move on.
When to reach for this tool
- You have a folder of PNG screenshots that need to become WebP for a blog or docs site.
- Someone sent you HEIC photos from an iPhone and you need PNG/JPEG for downstream tools (Office, old CMS, legacy email).
- You inherited a GIF library (animated gifs from 2010) and want to migrate to modern formats for faster page load.
- You need a quick one-off conversion without installing ImageMagick or fiddling with Photoshop.
What this tool will not do
- It will not change the source aspect ratio. For resizing while converting, use the image compressor or a dedicated resizer.
- It will not preserve every EXIF tag. Format conversion typically drops or partially preserves metadata. For archival masters where metadata matters, use specialized tools (exiftool).
- It will not produce HEIC. iOS HEIC encoding is patent-encumbered; browsers cannot encode it. Use WebP or AVIF for similar compression with patent-free formats.
All conversion runs in your browser via Canvas APIs and WebAssembly codecs. Source images and converted output never leave the device. Useful for confidential screenshots, internal documents, or anything you cannot upload to a third-party service.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my converted JPEG bigger than the original PNG?
PNG can be smaller than JPEG when the image has lots of solid colors, sharp edges, or transparent regions — PNG's lossless compression is efficient on those. Photos compress smaller as JPEG; UI/icon content can compress smaller as PNG. Convert to test before assuming.
Is HEIC better than JPEG?
Compression-wise: yes, HEIC is roughly half the size of JPEG at the same visual quality. Compatibility-wise: HEIC is poorly supported outside Apple. Browsers do not display HEIC; many older systems cannot read it. Convert to JPEG or WebP at the boundary if portability matters.
When should I use lossless WebP vs PNG?
WebP lossless is usually 25-30% smaller than PNG for the same content. Use WebP lossless if you control the consumers (modern browsers, modern image tools); use PNG if you need maximum compatibility with legacy software.
Does converting from JPEG to WebP improve quality?
No — you cannot recover quality that was discarded in the original JPEG encoding. Re-encoding can slightly reduce file size at the same quality but the visual fidelity stays at the JPEG's level. To improve quality, you need a higher-resolution or higher-quality source.
My converted PNG looks darker than the original.
Probably a color profile drop. The source had an embedded color profile (sRGB, P3) that the converter discarded. Re-do with profile preservation enabled, or expect a small color shift.
Can I convert SVG to PNG or vice versa?
SVG → PNG: yes (render at chosen size, save raster). Lossy in the sense that PNG is fixed-resolution; vector data is gone. PNG → SVG: only via tracing (Adobe Illustrator's Image Trace, online vectorizers). Tracing produces SVG paths approximating the bitmap; complex photos vectorize poorly.
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Last updated · E-Utils editorial team