Images

What is a PNG file?

Updated Jul 2026

Definition

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is an image format that compresses files without losing any quality, and it can store transparent backgrounds. That makes it the standard choice for screenshots, logos, and app or website graphics. The tradeoff is size: a PNG of a detailed photo is usually much larger than the equivalent JPG.

PNGPortable Network Graphics

Extension: .png
Type: Images
Typically: Screenshots, logos, UI assets
Transparency: Supported

Why PNG exists

PNG was created in the mid 1990s as a free, open replacement for GIF, which was tangled up in patent licensing disputes at the time. It was built to do two things well: compress images without throwing away pixel data, and support real transparency, both of which GIF handled poorly.

The compression is lossless, meaning every pixel you save is exactly the pixel you get back when you open the file again. There's no blur or artifacting from repeated saves, unlike JPG. In exchange for that precision, PNG files don't shrink nearly as much, especially for photos with lots of subtle color variation.

This is why PNG dominates screenshots, icons, logos, and interface graphics: crisp edges, flat colors, and see-through backgrounds compress well and need to stay pixel-perfect. It's a poor fit for photographs, where its size becomes an issue and a JPG or HEIC does the same job in a fraction of the space.

People usually run into PNG when a file is too large to upload somewhere, when they need a transparent logo turned into something that opens everywhere, or when they want a photo-style image switched to a smaller JPG.

The trade-offs

Strengths

Lossless, so no quality is lost no matter how many times you save it
Supports transparent backgrounds
Sharp, clean results for text, logos, and screenshots
Opens on essentially every device and platform

Watch-outs

Much larger file sizes than JPG or HEIC for photos
Not ideal for photographs with lots of color detail
Can be too heavy for web pages or attachments with size limits

A note on privacy

PNG files don't typically carry EXIF metadata the way camera photos do, since most are screenshots or exported graphics rather than photos taken with a camera. Even so, any file you upload to an online converter sits on that company's server while it's processed. Converting on your own computer means the file never leaves your machine.

Convert a PNG file

Questions

How do I open a PNG file?

Every major device and browser opens PNG natively. On a Mac or Windows PC, double-clicking one opens it in the default image viewer with no extra software needed.

Is PNG better than JPG?

It depends on the image. For screenshots, logos, and anything with sharp edges or transparency, PNG looks better and holds up to repeated edits. For photos, JPG is usually the better choice since it gets similar visual quality at a much smaller size.

Why are my PNG files so big?

PNG doesn't throw away any pixel data, so photo-like images with lots of subtle color and detail compress poorly. Flat, simple graphics like icons or text compress much better because there's less detail to preserve.

Can I convert a PNG without uploading it?

Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts PNG files on your own computer, so nothing gets sent to a server.

Should I convert PNG to JPG?

If the file is a photograph and you don't need transparency, converting to JPG will usually shrink it a lot with little visible difference. If it has a transparent background or needs to stay pixel-exact, keep it as PNG.

Morphjet opens and converts PNG and 1,800+ other formats, all on your own computer. Launching this July.