PNG is great for graphics and screenshots, but for photos it often makes files far bigger than they need to be. That is the usual reason to convert PNG to JPG: upload limits, email attachments, slow pages, or a site that simply does not accept PNG.
This guide shows how to convert for free in your browser, what you lose and keep, and when you should leave the file as PNG.
Key Takeaway: Convert photos to JPG to save space. Keep PNG for logos, text-heavy screenshots and anything that needs transparency, because JPG will fill transparent areas and soften sharp text edges.
Step by Step: Convert PNG to JPG
- Open TinyPNG Now and drag your PNG onto the upload zone. You can add several files at once.
- Set the output format to JPG.
- Pick a quality level. Around 80 to 85 is a good starting point for photos.
- Download the JPG, or a ZIP if you converted a batch.
The conversion happens locally in your browser, so your images are never sent to a server.
What Happens to Transparency?
JPG does not support transparent backgrounds. When you convert a transparent PNG, the transparent areas are filled with a solid color, usually white. If you need a specific background color, add it first with the background color changer, then convert. If you need to keep transparency, stay with PNG or use WebP (see WebP vs PNG vs JPG).
Picking the Right Quality
JPG is lossy: each save discards a little detail. At 80 to 85 quality, photos usually look the same to the eye at a much smaller size. Going below about 70 starts to show blocky artifacts, especially around text and sharp edges.
Pro Tip: Convert once, from the original PNG. Re-saving a JPG again and again stacks up quality loss. If you need an exact file size, see how to compress an image to 50KB, 100KB or 200KB.
PNG or JPG: Which Should You Use?
| Image type | Better format |
|---|---|
| Photograph | JPG (much smaller) |
| Logo or icon with transparency | PNG |
| Screenshot with sharp text | PNG |
| Image going to email or a form with a size limit | JPG |
Going the other way does not bring quality back. Converting a JPG to PNG only stores the already-compressed pixels losslessly, so the file often gets bigger without looking better. For more on shrinking files, read how to compress images without losing quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert PNG to JPG for free?
Upload the PNG to TinyPNG Now, choose JPG as the output format and download the result. It works in your browser with no signup and no upload to a server.
Does converting PNG to JPG lose quality?
A little. JPG is lossy, but at a quality of about 80 to 85 photos look practically identical while the file is much smaller. Text and sharp graphics can look slightly softer.
What happens to a transparent PNG when I convert it to JPG?
JPG has no transparency, so transparent areas are filled with a solid color, usually white. Add the background color you want before converting if it matters.
Why is my JPG bigger than the PNG?
That can happen with simple graphics, flat colors or screenshots, where PNG compresses very well. For photos, JPG is normally much smaller. Try a lower quality setting or keep the PNG for graphics.
Can I convert JPG back to PNG and restore the quality?
No. The detail lost when the JPG was saved cannot be recovered. A new PNG will only store the current pixels, usually in a larger file.
Summary: Convert photos from PNG to JPG at about 80 to 85 quality, keep PNG for transparency and sharp text, and always convert from the original file. Use the free TinyPNG Now converter — private and instant.