How to Convert JPG to PNG Online (and What It Will Not Fix)
Converting JPG to PNG takes seconds, but it does less than people expect. Here is how to do it, what it really changes, and the cases where it helps.
Add JPEG files, press Convert to PNG and download. Nothing to install.
Convert in three clicks
- Open JPG to PNG and add files with the picker or by dropping them. Only JPEG files are accepted, and other types are ignored.
- Press Convert to PNG. The status line reads "Converting..." and then "Done! Download your converted image below."
- Press Download Image for one file, or Download All (ZIP) for several. The name stays the same with a
.pngending, and the ZIP is calledconverted-images.zip.
What you gain, and what you cannot get back
A JPG is saved with lossy compression: some detail was thrown away when the file was made. Converting to PNG stops any further loss, because PNG stores every pixel exactly as it is. It does not restore anything. The PNG is a faithful copy of the already-degraded JPG, and blocky artifacts, if the JPG had them, are now permanent and in lossless wrapping.
So the real reasons to convert are practical:
- You will edit it several times. Each save of a JPG loses a bit more. Working in PNG avoids stacking that loss.
- A program insists on PNG. Some design tools, game engines and upload forms ask for it.
- You need sharp edges after other changes. Text, lines and flat colours handle repeated saving better in a lossless format.
If none of those applies, keep the JPG. Converting a photo for no reason makes it larger with no visible benefit.
Expect a bigger file
PNG compresses without discarding anything, which suits graphics with large flat areas but is inefficient for photographs. A photo that is 1 MB as JPG can easily become several megabytes as PNG. The size depends on the image, so look at the numbers in the file list after converting before you decide to use the output. If size matters more than exactness, a modern format is the better choice, as discussed in JPG vs PNG vs WebP.
The transparency myth
Many people convert JPG to PNG hoping to get a transparent background. It does not work that way. JPG has no transparency, so the picture is fully opaque and the PNG will be too: a white background stays a white rectangle. Making an area transparent needs an editor that can select and erase the background. The conversion only changes the container, not the pixels. The opposite problem, PNG with transparency turning white or black when saved to JPG, is covered in converting PNG to JPG without a white background.
What happens to size, orientation and metadata
- Pixel dimensions do not change. The canvas is the same width and height as the source.
- Camera data is not carried over. The image is redrawn and exported, so EXIF details such as date, camera and GPS position are not written into the PNG. That makes the output a quick way to strip location data, though a dedicated tool is clearer: removing EXIF data from photos.
- Rotation. Current browsers normally draw a photo upright according to its orientation tag. If a result is on its side, fix it with Rotate Image.
Should you convert? A quick decision guide
| Situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Photo for a website or email | Keep the JPG, or use WebP |
| Screenshot saved as JPG with fuzzy text | PNG will stop the blur getting worse, but retake the screenshot as PNG if you can |
| Logo that arrived as JPG | PNG for editing, but ask for the original vector or PNG file if one exists |
| Image going into a long editing chain | Convert once, edit in PNG, export to JPG at the end |
A worked example shows the size effect. Suppose a 3000 x 2000 holiday photo is 1.5 MB as a JPG. As a PNG it holds 6 million pixels with no discarding, and it may come out at 8 to 12 MB, depending on how noisy the picture is. That is an illustration, not a measurement, but the direction is reliable for photographs. A simple graphic with large flat colours would behave very differently, and often stays small.
Before you convert a whole folder, convert one file and compare. Open the PNG at 100% zoom beside the JPG. They should look identical. If you notice a difference, such as a colour shift, the cause is usually colour profile handling in your viewer, not the conversion itself, and it is worth checking in a second program before you decide.
Troubleshooting
- My file was ignored. It may be labelled something else, such as a HEIC from an iPhone. For that use HEIC to PNG. To check what a file really is, see how to tell what format an image is.
- "Something went wrong while converting your images." The file may be corrupt, or a very large image exhausted the browser memory. Try a smaller copy.
- The PNG is huge. Run it through Compress PNG, or reconsider whether PNG is needed.
Everything is done on your device with the browser's canvas, and the ZIP for multiple files is built there too using JSZip, loaded from a CDN when the page opens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does converting JPG to PNG improve quality?
No. It stops further loss from later saves, but it does not restore detail that the JPG already lost.
Why is the PNG so much bigger than the JPG?
PNG is lossless and handles photos less efficiently than lossy JPG. A multi-fold size increase is common for photographs.
Will the PNG have a transparent background?
No. A JPG has no transparency, so the PNG stays opaque. Removing a background needs an image editor.
Does the PNG keep the EXIF data?
No. The image is redrawn and exported, so camera and location tags are not written to the new file.
Can I convert many JPGs at once?
Yes. Add several files and download them together as converted-images.zip.
Which files does the tool accept?
Only JPEG files. Other types are skipped, so use the matching converter for HEIC, WebP or AVIF.