IMAGES
JPG, PNG, WEBP or GIF: choose the right image format
Use JPG for photographs, PNG for sharp graphics with transparency, WEBP for compact images, and GIF for short animations that can tolerate a limited color palette.
Compare image formats for photos, transparent graphics, animation and sharing, and understand what conversion can change.
By the PandaConverter product team · Updated October 22, 2026
Start with what the image needs to do
A photograph contains many subtle colors and usually exports efficiently as JPG or WEBP. A logo, screenshot or diagram often benefits from PNG, which preserves crisp decoded pixels and transparency. Changing formats cannot restore detail already lost in the source.
- JPG: photos and broad compatibility; transparent areas become white.
- PNG: lossless decoded pixels and smooth transparency; often larger for photographs.
- WEBP: compact still images with transparency; animation is also possible.
- GIF: up to 256 colors per frame and one-bit transparency; suitable for simple animations.
What happens to animation?
The GIF to PNG tool exports the first frame. WEBP to GIF preserves supported frames and timing, but colors and transparent edges may change. PNG to GIF creates a still GIF, not an animation. Animated inputs are limited to 200 frames and 80 million decoded pixels across the whole animation.
SVG, HEIC and JFIF need different decisions
SVG is a vector format; exporting JPG or PNG rasterizes its shapes. Use a self-contained SVG without scripts or external images, up to 2 MB. HEIC tools export the main still photo rather than Live Photo video or depth data. JFIF contains JPEG image data; exporting it as JPG adds another encoding step.
Choose quality and review the result
Start with the balanced quality setting and compare the download at its intended display size. Use higher quality if visible artifacts affect faces, fine lines or text. A larger output file is not evidence of improved quality. Keep your original, especially when converting a compressed photograph.