How to convert PNG to JPG

PNG and JPG serve different purposes. PNG stores every pixel without loss and supports transparency, which makes it the right choice for logos, screenshots that need editing, and anything that will be composited later. For everything else — photos, hero images, product shots, email attachments — JPG delivers the same perceived quality at a fraction of the file size.

Converting is straightforward on every platform. This guide covers the browser, Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, command line, and batch workflows, then explains when to skip the conversion entirely.

What actually changes when you convert PNG to JPG

Two technical changes happen during conversion.

Lossless to lossy compression. PNG compresses without discarding pixel data. JPG discards some data to achieve smaller files. At quality settings of 80 or above the difference is invisible in normal viewing, but it is technically irreversible. Each subsequent re-save of the JPG discards more data, so avoid editing and resaving the same JPG repeatedly.

Transparency becomes a solid fill. JPG does not have an alpha channel. Any transparent areas in the PNG — a cut-out background, a logo with no fill — are replaced with a solid color during conversion, almost always white. If the image depends on transparency, convert to PNG or WebP instead of JPG.

For photos, screenshots, and images with no transparent areas, neither change is noticeable and the file size reduction is significant. A 3 MB PNG photo typically becomes a 300–600 KB JPG at quality 85.

How to convert PNG to JPG in the browser

The fastest option for a single file with no software installation:

1. Open the PNG to JPG tool at privateconvert.org.
2. Drop your .png file onto the page or click to select it.
3. Adjust the quality slider if needed (85 is a good starting point for photos).
4. Download the .jpg file.

The conversion runs entirely in your browser using the Canvas API. The file never leaves your device — there is no upload, no server processing, no account, and no watermark. This also means it works offline once the page has loaded.

How to convert PNG to JPG on Mac

Mac offers two built-in methods.

Using Preview:

1. Open the PNG file in Preview.
2. Go to File > Export.
3. In the Format dropdown, select JPEG.
4. Drag the Quality slider or type a value (80–90 works well for most images).
5. Click Save.

Using the sips command line tool:

sips ships with macOS and handles single-file and batch conversion without installing anything.

Single file:

sips -s format jpeg image.png --out image.jpg

Set quality (0–1 scale):

sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 85 image.png --out image.jpg

Batch convert every PNG in a folder:

mkdir -p converted
for f in *.png; do
  sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 85 "$f" --out "converted/${f%.png}.jpg"
done

How to convert PNG to JPG on Windows

Using Paint:

1. Open the PNG file in Paint.
2. Go to File > Save as > JPEG picture.
3. Choose a location and click Save.

Paint does not expose a quality slider, so the output uses a fixed internal quality setting. For photos where quality control matters, use Photos or an online tool instead.

Using the Photos app:

1. Open the PNG in Photos.
2. Click the three-dot menu in the top right.
3. Select Save as.
4. Choose JPEG from the file type dropdown.
5. Click Save.

Using PowerShell for batch conversion:

Windows does not ship with ImageMagick, but this PowerShell snippet works without any extra installs:

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Drawing
Get-ChildItem -Filter *.png | ForEach-Object {
    $img = [System.Drawing.Image]::FromFile($_.FullName)
    $encoder = [System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageCodecInfo]::GetImageEncoders() |
        Where-Object { $_.MimeType -eq 'image/jpeg' }
    $params = New-Object System.Drawing.Imaging.EncoderParameters(1)
    $params.Param[0] = New-Object System.Drawing.Imaging.EncoderParameter(
        [System.Drawing.Imaging.Encoder]::Quality, 85L)
    $out = $_.FullName -replace '\.png$', '.jpg'
    $img.Save($out, $encoder, $params)
    $img.Dispose()
}

How to convert PNG to JPG on iPhone

Built-in method — convert in Files or Mail:

iOS does not include a built-in PNG-to-JPG converter, but you can work around it. When you share a PNG from Photos to Mail or Messages and the recipient’s device receives it, the format is often normalized. For explicit control, use the browser method.

Using the browser on iPhone:

1. Open Safari and go to privateconvert.org/tools/png-to-jpg.
2. Tap the file picker and select the PNG from your Photos or Files.
3. The conversion runs on-device in the browser — nothing is uploaded.
4. Tap Download. The JPG saves to your Files app or Downloads folder.

Using Shortcuts:

Apple’s Shortcuts app has a Convert Image action. Create a shortcut with:

• Get File (or receive input from Share Sheet)
• Convert Image to JPEG at your preferred quality
• Save File or Quick Look to review

This is useful if you convert PNGs regularly and want a one-tap workflow from the Share Sheet.

How to convert PNG to JPG on Android

Using Google Photos:

Google Photos does not directly export as a different format, but most third-party gallery and file manager apps include a Save as option.

Using the browser on Android:

1. Open Chrome and go to privateconvert.org/tools/png-to-jpg.
2. Tap Choose file and select the PNG.
3. The conversion runs locally in the browser.
4. Tap Download. The file saves to your Downloads folder.

This is the most reliable single-file method on Android without installing an additional app.

Batch convert PNG to JPG on the command line

For large numbers of files, the command line is faster and more consistent than a GUI.

ImageMagick (Mac, Linux, Windows):

Install once, then convert any number of files. On Mac: brew install imagemagick. On Ubuntu: sudo apt install imagemagick.

Single file:

convert image.png -quality 85 image.jpg

Batch convert all PNGs in a directory:

mogrify -format jpg -quality 85 *.png

mogrify modifies files in place by default. To keep originals, output to a separate directory:

mkdir -p converted
mogrify -format jpg -quality 85 -path converted *.png

sips (Mac only, no install required):

mkdir -p converted
for f in *.png; do
  sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 85 "$f" --out "converted/${f%.png}.jpg"
done

ffmpeg (if already installed for video work):

ffmpeg -i image.png -q:v 2 image.jpg

The -q:v flag uses ffmpeg’s quality scale for JPEG (2 is near-lossless, 31 is lowest quality).

When NOT to convert PNG to JPG

Converting always has a cost. Do not convert when:

• The image has transparency you need. A logo, illustration, or cut-out background will show a white rectangle where the transparent pixels were. Use PNG or WebP to preserve the alpha channel.
• You will edit and resave the file multiple times. Each JPG save degrades quality slightly. Keep the source as PNG and only export to JPG as a final step.
• The image has sharp text, diagrams, or line art. JPG compression introduces visible artifacts around hard edges and high-contrast lines. Screenshots of UIs, annotated charts, and infographics look better as PNG.
• The destination accepts PNG and size is not a constraint. If there is no practical reason to convert, skip it and keep the lossless original.
• You need to layer or composite the image later. Transparency is gone after conversion. Keep the PNG source and convert only the final composited version if needed.

Troubleshooting

The JPG looks blurry or blocky. The quality setting is too low. Re-convert from the original PNG with a higher quality value (85 or above).

The transparent background turned a color other than white. Some converters let you pick the fill color. If your converter filled with black or gray, use a tool that lets you specify the background color, or re-convert using the browser tool at privateconvert.org which fills with white by default.

The file size is larger after conversion. This occasionally happens with screenshots or images that are mostly flat color — PNG compresses those better than JPG. The JPG format favors photographic content. For non-photographic images, keep the PNG.

The colors look different after conversion. The source PNG may have an embedded ICC color profile. Some converters strip it during export. If color accuracy matters, use a converter that preserves the profile, or convert with ImageMagick using the -profile flag to embed the correct profile in the output.

Batch conversion overwrote the originals. Always output to a separate directory when running batch commands. The originals cannot be recovered from a JPG — JPG is lossy and the original pixel data is gone.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between JPG and JPEG?

Nothing. JPEG is the full name of the format (Joint Photographic Experts Group). JPG is the three-character file extension that became standard on Windows file systems. The files are identical. You can rename .jpeg to .jpg or vice versa without affecting the content.

What quality setting should I use?

85 is a reliable default for photos. It produces files roughly 60–80% smaller than the PNG source with no visible difference at normal viewing sizes. Drop to 75–80 if you need even smaller files and the image will not be viewed at large sizes. Go higher (90–95) only if the output will be printed or used in a workflow that requires high fidelity.

Will converting PNG to JPG reduce image quality?

At quality 80 and above, the reduction is not visible in normal use. The technical answer is yes — some pixel data is discarded. The practical answer is that for photos and screenshots, you will not notice the difference unless you zoom in and compare side by side at 100%.

Can I convert JPG back to PNG?

You can change the format back, but you cannot recover the discarded data. A PNG made from a JPG source is lossless from that point forward, but it contains the same quality as the JPG source. Converting back to PNG just prevents further degradation on future saves — it does not restore anything that was lost in the original JPG compression.

Is it safe to use an online converter for private photos?

It depends on how the tool processes the file. Most upload-based converters send your image to a third-party server. If privacy matters, use privateconvert.org, which processes everything locally in your browser with no upload, or use a desktop method (Preview on Mac, Paint on Windows, sips, or ImageMagick).

How do I convert a PNG with a transparent background to JPG without a white box?

You cannot keep transparency in JPG — the format has no alpha channel. The transparent pixels must be filled with some color. The standard fill is white, which is fine for most images. If you need a different background color, use a converter that lets you specify the fill. If you need to preserve transparency, the correct output format is PNG, WebP, or AVIF, not JPG.

How do I batch convert hundreds of PNGs to JPG on a Mac?

Use the sips command described in the Mac section above. It ships with macOS and requires no installation. For cross-platform batch conversion with more control over quality, use ImageMagick’s mogrify command.

Does converting PNG to JPG change the image dimensions?

No. Format conversion does not resize the image. The pixel dimensions stay the same unless you explicitly add a resize step to the conversion command.