Image format
The PNG format
PNG is a lossless image format with full transparency. PNG was written in 1995–96 as a patent-free replacement for GIF, after the owner of GIF’s compression patent started asking for license fees.
When to use PNG
Use PNG for screenshots, interface graphics, logos and anything with transparency or lettering, and as the working copy of an image you are still editing.
It is best for screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with text or a transparent background, and it opens on every browser, phone, computer and image editor.
How to open it: Anything that shows pictures opens a PNG: the photo viewer on your computer, your phone’s gallery, any browser and every editor.
| Full name | Portable Network Graphics |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .png |
| MIME type | image/png |
| Introduced | 1996 |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes |
| Animation | No |
| Support | Opens everywhere |
| Typical size | A 12-megapixel photo is often 12–20 MB; a screenshot is usually 100 KB–1 MB |
Good at
- Nothing is lost, however many times it is re-saved
- Smooth transparency, including soft shadows and anti-aliased edges
- Text and hard edges stay perfectly crisp
- Opens absolutely everywhere
Not so good at
- Photographs come out several times larger than JPG or WebP
- No animation on its own (that is APNG)
- Often too big for strict upload limits
The common mistake
Photographs saved as PNG balloon in size. A holiday photo that is 3 MB as JPG can be 15 MB as PNG, because lossless compression can do very little with the fine grain of a real photograph.
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Questions
What is a PNG file?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless image format with full transparency. PNG was written in 1995–96 as a patent-free replacement for GIF, after the owner of GIF’s compression patent started asking for license fees.
How do I open a PNG file?
Anything that shows pictures opens a PNG: the photo viewer on your computer, your phone’s gallery, any browser and every editor.
How do I convert PNG to another format?
Pick the target on this page, or open the Image Converter, drop the PNG file and choose a format. It converts in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.