PNG vs JPG: which format should you use?
A plain-English comparison of PNG and JPG — when each is the right choice, and what you lose by converting between them.
总览
PNG is lossless and keeps transparency — it wins for logos, icons, screenshots, and anything with sharp edges. JPG is lossy and tiny — it wins for photographs and any file where size matters more than a little quality loss. Use PNG when pixels matter; use JPG when bytes matter.
对比项
| PNG | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Transparency | Yes (alpha channel) | No |
| Typical file size | Large | Small (~10× smaller) |
| Best for | Logos, icons, screenshots | Photographs |
| Quality degradation on re-save | None | Cumulative |
| Max colors | 16.7M + alpha | 16.7M (no alpha) |
| Browser support | Universal | Universal |
结论
Photographs → JPG
JPG's lossy compression is purpose-built for continuous-tone photos and is usually ~10× smaller.
Logos, icons, UI assets → PNG
PNG keeps edges crisp and preserves transparency — JPG smears edges with compression artifacts.
Screenshots → PNG
Text remains readable at any zoom; JPG softens the sharp pixel transitions typical in UI captures.
Raw file size → JPG
JPG at quality 85 is typically a fraction of the PNG equivalent for photos.
适用于该对比的工具
常见问题
- Does converting JPG to PNG restore lost quality?
- No. PNG is lossless, but it can only preserve what it's given. The JPG's original compression loss is permanent.
- Is PNG always better than JPG for print?
- Not necessarily — print houses often accept both. PNG is safer for vector-like artwork; JPG at high quality is fine for photographs.
- Which format is best for web performance?
- JPG (or modern WebP / AVIF) for photos; PNG for logos and UI. For maximum speed, consider WebP or AVIF — smaller than both.
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拖入图像,或点击选择
JPG / PNG / WebP / HEIC / AVIF