Format guide
What is PNG?
Portable Network Graphics is a lossless raster image format with full alpha transparency, created by W3C / PNG Development Group (1996). PNG keeps every pixel intact and supports translucent edges — ideal for screenshots, UI, and logos. Photos are safer as JPG/WebP/AVIF when you care about download size.
PNG format specifications
- Full name
- Portable Network Graphics
- Kind
- lossless raster image
- File extension
- .png
- MIME type
- image/png
- Developer / standard
- W3C / PNG Development Group · 1996
- Compression
- Lossless DEFLATE (PNG)
- Quality model
- Lossless
- Container
- No / single bitstream typical
- Common codecs
- PNG
- Technical sources
- W3C: Portable Network Graphics
- Transparency
- Supported
- Animation
- No (still / non-animated typical use)
- Typical size
- Larger than JPG for photos; excellent for graphics with flat color
- Browser support
- All modern browsers
- Compatibility
- Universal across browsers, phones, and design tools — the safest lossless web raster alongside JPG for photos
PNG compression & quality
PNG compresses without discarding pixels, so screenshots and logos stay crisp. Photos often become larger than JPEG/WebP/AVIF at similar visual quality — pick PNG for fidelity and alpha, not for smallest photo delivery.
Quality: Pixel-perfect; no quality slider needed
Typical size: Larger than JPG for photos; excellent for graphics with flat color
Transparency & animation
PNG supports full 8-bit (and more) alpha transparency — ideal for soft edges, overlays, and logos on any background.
PNG is a still-media or non-animated format in typical use. Use GIF, APNG, video, or animated WebP when you need motion.
PNG metadata
Can store textual tEXt/iTXt chunks and sometimes color profiles; camera EXIF is less central than in JPEG but may appear after conversions. Remove metadata when shipping public assets if needed.
Related tools: image metadata viewer · metadata remover
Best use cases for PNG
- Screenshots
- Logos and icons
- UI graphics with soft alpha
- Lossless intermediates before further edits
When to avoid PNG
- Huge photo libraries for the web
- Long animations (use video/GIF carefully)
- Print CMYK workflows that want TIFF/PDF
- Situations needing tiny photo bytes
Advantages
- Lossless
- Full alpha transparency
- Sharp text and UI
- Safe re-saving
Disadvantages
- Larger than JPG for photographs
- Not ideal for long photo animations
- Infinite scaling still needs SVG for true vectors
- Careless exports can stay unnecessarily huge
Compatibility
Universal across browsers, phones, and design tools — the safest lossless web raster alongside JPG for photos
Browsers: All modern browsers
Software support
- Photoshop
- Figma
- GIMP
- Preview
- Chrome
Device support
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
How to open PNG
Double-click in any OS image viewer, drop into a browser tab, or place in Figma/Photoshop. PNG needs no special codec pack.
How to convert PNG
Use Format Convertly’s PNG converters in your browser to make JPG for photos, WebP/AVIF for lighter web pages, or keep PNG when you need lossless alpha — nothing is uploaded.
Popular PNG conversions
Convert to PNG
Incoming conversions strengthen the PNG cluster — e.g. JPG → PNG, PNG → PNG.
PNG comparison guides
Compare PNG with related formats to pick the right container for quality, size, and compatibility.
Best format guides featuring PNG
Decision pages that cite PNG — the next hop after a vs comparison.
PNG how-to guides
Related formats
PNG tools
Tools extend the format graph beyond one-off conversion — compression, metadata, and utilities for real workflows.
Technical sources
PNG FAQ
What is a PNG file?
PNG is a lossless raster image format with full alpha transparency. PNG keeps every pixel intact and supports translucent edges — ideal for screenshots, UI, and logos. Photos are safer as JPG/WebP/AVIF when you care about download size.
Is PNG lossy or lossless?
PNG is typically lossless or non-destructive in common use (Lossless DEFLATE (PNG)).
Does PNG support transparency?
PNG supports transparency (including alpha where the codec/container allows). Keep a format with alpha when you need soft edges or overlays.
How do I open a PNG file?
Double-click in any OS image viewer, drop into a browser tab, or place in Figma/Photoshop. PNG needs no special codec pack.
How do I convert PNG privately?
Use Format Convertly’s PNG converters in your browser to make JPG for photos, WebP/AVIF for lighter web pages, or keep PNG when you need lossless alpha — nothing is uploaded. Format Convertly keeps processing in your browser so files are not uploaded to a conversion server.
When should I use PNG instead of JPG?
Use PNG for logos, UI, screenshots, and anything needing crisp edges or alpha transparency. Use JPG/WebP/AVIF for photographs when file size matters.
Does PNG support animation?
Classic PNG is still. APNG exists but support varies — GIF or short MP4/WebM loops are more common for simple motion.
Are my PNG files uploaded on Format Convertly?
No. PNG conversion runs in your browser. Files are not sent to Format Convertly servers for processing.