Convert Images Between PNG, JPG, WEBP, ICO, And TIFF

This guide maps to the tool directly so you can apply each step while reading.

Pick the format based on what the image needs to do #

JPG is the format for photographs and images with many gradual color transitions. Its compression is designed for photographic content and produces small files at acceptable quality. A 3 MB camera photo can compress to under 200 KB as a JPG with almost no visible loss at normal viewing sizes. The tradeoff is lossy compression — quality degrades slightly each time you re-save, and JPG cannot store transparency.

PNG is the format for images that need transparency, crisp edges, or lossless quality. Logos, icons, UI screenshots, and diagrams all need PNG. JPG compression blurs sharp edges, which is why text in a JPG looks slightly soft compared to the same text in a PNG. If your image has a transparent background or contains crisp graphic elements, PNG is the correct choice.

WEBP is the modern format for web delivery. It produces files roughly 25 to 35 percent smaller than equivalent JPG or PNG files at the same visual quality. Modern browsers all support WEBP, making it the best default for web images where file size matters. The limitation is legacy compatibility — some older software and email clients do not handle WEBP, so keep a JPG fallback for contexts where compatibility is uncertain.

ICO is used specifically for favicons — the small icon in browser tabs and bookmarks. TIFF is used for archiving and print workflows, storing maximum quality with no lossy compression, which is why it produces very large files. Use TIFF when you need to preserve a master copy for future editing or send files to professional print services. For digital delivery, TIFF is usually the wrong choice.

Understand how quality settings affect output #

Quality settings in JPG and WEBP conversion control how aggressively the compression algorithm discards information. A quality setting of 100 produces the largest file with the least compression. A quality setting of 60 or below produces smaller files but introduces visible artifacts — blocky regions, color banding, and soft edges. For most web use, a quality setting between 75 and 85 produces files visually indistinguishable from 100 quality but significantly smaller.

PNG does not use lossy quality settings. PNG uses lossless compression, meaning pixel data is stored identically regardless of compression level — only encoding speed and file size change slightly. This is why you cannot reduce quality in a PNG the way you can in a JPG. The only way to make a PNG meaningfully smaller is to reduce its pixel dimensions or color depth.

When converting between formats, always start from the highest-quality source available. If you convert a JPG to PNG, you get a lossless PNG that preserves the JPG — including its existing compression artifacts. If you then convert that PNG back to JPG at low quality, you have lost quality twice. Chain conversions intentionally and always keep your original source files.

Resize during conversion only when your output slot requires specific dimensions. Scaling an image up during conversion does not add information — it interpolates pixels and produces a soft or blurry result. If you need a large output size, start with a large source image. Scaling down during conversion is fine and recommended — converting a 4000px image directly to a 1200px output in one step is more efficient than scaling separately.

Handle transparency and color space correctly #

When you convert a transparent PNG to JPG, the transparency is lost. JPG does not support an alpha channel, so transparent areas are filled with a background color — usually white, sometimes black, depending on the tool. If you need to convert a transparent PNG to JPG for compatibility reasons, set the background fill color deliberately. White is correct for most web images; black is correct for video thumbnails and dark-themed UIs.

When converting transparent PNG to WEBP, transparency is preserved. WEBP supports an alpha channel and is the recommended format for transparent web images where you want both transparency and smaller file size than PNG. Converting your transparent images from PNG to WEBP can reduce sizes by 20 to 30 percent with no visible quality loss.

ICO format for favicons works best when you start from a clean square source — ideally 512x512 or 256x256 pixels — with the main graphic centered with equal padding on all sides. Generate sizes at 16x16, 32x32, and 64x64 and test each in a browser tab to see how the favicon renders at the sizes browsers actually display.

Color space matters for images that will be printed professionally. Screens use RGB color space. Most print processes expect CMYK. Converting an RGB image to print without color space adjustment can produce visible color shifts — particularly in reds and purples. If you are preparing images for professional print, ask your printer which color profile they require.

Build a repeatable conversion pipeline #

If you regularly prepare images for the same destinations — a website, a social media profile, a document workflow — document the format and quality settings for each destination. A simple note that says 'hero images: WEBP at quality 80, max 1200px wide; thumbnails: JPG at quality 75, 400x300px' removes guesswork from every subsequent batch and ensures consistency across all images.

Separate your pipeline by image type. Photographs, UI screenshots, logos, and icons respond differently to the same conversion settings. Running all image types through the same settings in the same batch is convenient but produces suboptimal results. Group similar types, apply format-appropriate settings, and process each group separately.

After building a pipeline that works, test it with a sample batch before processing hundreds of files. Check output file sizes, open three or four files at full zoom, and confirm format and dimensions are correct. A five-minute validation pass on a small sample prevents discovering the wrong settings after processing an entire month of assets.

Distribute the converted versions and store originals separately in a clearly labeled folder. Never overwrite originals with converted files. If a new format standard emerges tomorrow, you can convert from the originals again rather than from already-compressed files.