Use JPG for photographs and broad compatibility
JPG is widely supported and usually compact for photographs. It does not support transparency and uses lossy compression, so it is a weaker choice for logos, interface screenshots, or text-heavy graphics that need perfectly sharp edges.
Use PNG for transparency and crisp graphics
PNG preserves transparent pixels and sharp edges, which suits logos, diagrams, and screenshots. Detailed photos can become much larger than equivalent JPG or WebP files, so PNG should not be the automatic choice for every image.
Use WebP when modern web size matters
- Choose WebP for modern websites and apps that support it when a smaller download is useful.
- Choose JPG when compatibility with older software or upload forms is more important.
- Choose PNG when transparency or lossless edges are essential, then open the converted file and check its background and detail.
Separate format from dimensions
Changing JPG to WebP can reduce size, but oversized dimensions may still dominate the download. Choose the needed width and height first, then select the format. This produces more predictable results than format conversion alone.
Keep an editable master
Do not use a repeatedly compressed web export as the only source. Retain the original photograph, design file, or lossless master. Create new delivery formats from that master whenever requirements change.