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JPG vs PNG u2013 What Is the Difference?

JPG and PNG are the two image formats you will run into most often, and they are built for different jobs.

JPG: built for photos

JPG compresses an image by discarding some detail the eye is less likely to notice, which keeps photo file sizes small. That makes it the default format for camera photos, but it is a poor choice for text or sharp-edged graphics, where the compression can introduce blur or blocky artifacts.

PNG: built for graphics and screenshots

PNG keeps every pixel exactly as it was, so text, logos and screenshots stay crisp. It also supports transparent backgrounds, which JPG cannot do. The trade-off is a larger file size for photo-like images.

Which to use

As a rule of thumb: use JPG for photos, and PNG for screenshots, logos, and anything with text or flat colour. Both convert to PDF the same way in our Image to PDF tool.

Frequently asked questions

Which format makes a smaller PDF?

For photos, JPG usually produces a smaller PDF than PNG. For screenshots or documents with text, the difference is often small.

Which format makes a smaller PDF?

For photos, JPG usually produces a smaller PDF than PNG. For screenshots or documents with text, the difference is often small.

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