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WebP, JPG or PNG: which image format to use, and when

You saved an image and got a .webp file that your program refuses to open. Here is what each format is good at — and when to convert.

Updated · 4 min read

Three image formats cover almost everything you will meet on the web and on your phone. They are not interchangeable: each one makes a different trade between file size, quality and features. Knowing the trade makes it easy to pick the right one, and to understand why a site hands you a format your software does not like.

JPG: the format for photographs

JPG (or JPEG) has been the standard for photos since the 1990s. It uses lossy compression: it throws away detail the eye is unlikely to miss, which makes photos small. The price is that every time a JPG is edited and saved again, a little more detail is lost, and sharp edges — text, lines, logos — pick up a halo of blocky artifacts.

PNG: the format for sharp edges and transparency

PNG uses lossless compression: the image you open is exactly the image that was saved, pixel for pixel. It also supports transparency, which is why logos and icons are usually PNG. The price is size: a photo saved as PNG is often several times larger than the same photo as JPG, with no visible gain.

WebP: the web’s newer format

WebP was introduced by Google in 2010 to make web pages lighter. It can do what both older formats do: lossy compression like JPG, lossless like PNG, transparency, and even animation like GIF. Google’s own comparison found lossy WebP files roughly 25–34% smaller than JPGs of similar quality. That is why so many sites now serve their images as WebP, and why “Save image as” so often gives you a .webp file.

Every current browser displays WebP. The trouble is elsewhere: older versions of office suites, some photo printing kiosks, government and university upload forms, and many older desktop programs still refuse it.

Quick decision guide

Does converting lose quality?

Converting WebP to PNG loses nothing: PNG stores whatever pixels the WebP produced. Converting to JPG applies JPG compression once more. At a high quality setting (around 90%) the difference is invisible in photos, but the file can be larger than the WebP was — that is the cost of compatibility, not a sign that something went wrong. Converting a WebP with a transparent background to JPG fills the transparent area with a solid color, usually white, because JPG cannot store transparency.

What conversion cannot do is bring back detail. If a site served a small, heavily compressed WebP, the JPG made from it will be just as small and soft. When quality matters, look for the original image.

A note on AVIF and HEIC

Two more formats are becoming common. AVIF is an even more efficient web format, with similar compatibility issues to WebP a few years ago. HEIC is what iPhones save photos in by default; it is efficient but poorly supported outside Apple devices. The same rule applies to both: keep them where they work, and convert to JPG when you need a file anyone can open.

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Frequently asked questions

Why does my browser save images as WebP?

Because the website serves them that way to load faster, and “Save image as” keeps the format the site used. Converting afterwards is the simplest way to get a JPG or PNG.

Is WebP better quality than JPG?

At the same file size, usually yes; at the same visual quality, WebP is smaller. But a WebP made from an already compressed JPG cannot be better than that JPG.

Which format should I use for a logo?

PNG for the image file, or SVG if you have a vector version. Both keep sharp edges and transparency, which JPG cannot.

Can I convert many images at once?

Yes. Batch conversion in the browser handles dozens of files at a time and can deliver them together in a ZIP.

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