About PNG
PNG was created in the mid-1990s, partly out of frustration. GIF, the web's graphics format at the time, used a compression method covered by a patent, and its owner began asking for licence fees. A group of developers designed PNG as a free, better replacement, and it became a W3C recommendation in 1996. A 2025 revision of the standard formally added animation and HDR support.
PNG is lossless: the file you open is exactly the file that was saved, however many times it is saved. It handles full transparency, including soft edges and shadows, and supports everything from 2-colour images to 16 bits per channel.
When PNG is the right choice
- Screenshots, interface mock-ups, charts and diagrams, where text must stay crisp.
- Logos, icons and cut-outs that need a transparent background.
- Working copies you will edit and re-save several times.
- Source files for textures and print artwork where every pixel matters.
When it is not
Photographs. Lossless compression struggles with the natural noise and texture in a photo, so a PNG photo is typically five to ten times larger than a JPG that looks the same. If a PNG is too large, the PNG compressor can reduce its colours, and for photos the PNG to JPG converter is usually the answer.
PNG at a glance
| First released | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes, including soft edges |
| Animation or pages | Only as APNG, rarely used |
| Best for | Screenshots, graphics, text and transparency |
| Support | Universal |
Questions people ask
Does converting to PNG improve quality?
No. It preserves what the source had exactly, but cannot restore detail lost to earlier compression.
Why is my PNG so big?
It is probably a photograph. PNG is lossless, and photos compress poorly without loss.
Does PNG support transparency?
Yes, fully, including partially transparent pixels for smooth edges.