Tool for this guide: Convert Image
Save an image from the web and you may get a .webp file that your document app or an upload form will not accept. Or a PNG screenshot is too big and you want it as a JPG. This guide shows how to change image formats in your browser without uploading anything, and which format to choose.
Steps
- Open Convert Image.
- Click “Choose image files” or drag the images onto the screen. You can add many at once, even in mixed formats.
- Choose JPG, PNG or WebP. The list shows each change, such as “WEBP → JPG”.
- Click “Convert images”.
- For one image, click “Download”. For several, click “Download all” to get one ZIP.
The file name stays the same and only the extension changes (for example, cat.webp → cat.jpg).
How the three formats differ
| Format | Traits | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| JPG | Opens almost anywhere, small for photos, no transparency | Uploads and attachments, photos |
| PNG | Lossless, supports transparency, large for photos | Screenshots, logos, text-heavy images |
| WebP | Smaller than JPG and PNG, supports transparency | Websites and blogs |
In most cases: JPG if it has to open everywhere, PNG if you need transparency or crisp text, WebP if it is going on the web.
Good to know
- Transparency: JPG has none, so transparent areas in a PNG or WebP are filled with white. Convert images such as logos to PNG or WebP if transparency matters.
- Quality: converting to PNG is lossless. JPG and WebP are saved at high quality, so the difference is hard to see. Re-saving lossy formats (JPG, WebP) many times adds up small losses, so keep your originals.
- File size: a photo saved as PNG can be several times larger. If the goal is a smaller file, Compress Image is a better fit.
- Animated GIFs: only the first frame becomes a single image.
- Location data: images are redrawn and saved again, so EXIF data such as location is not kept.
What about iPhone photos (HEIC)?
iPhones take photos in HEIC by default. HEIC is smaller than JPG, but many Windows PCs and websites cannot open it.
- Open this tool in Safari (iPhone, iPad or Mac), which can read HEIC, and convert it to JPG there.
- Other browsers such as Chrome and Edge cannot read HEIC, so the list marks it as a format the browser cannot read.
- To get JPG for future photos, choose Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible on your iPhone.
- When you send photos from an iPhone by email or to other apps, they are usually converted to JPG along the way.
Is it safe to convert in the browser?
Images are converted only inside your browser and are never uploaded. Several images are converted at once, matched to your CPU cores. To put the converted images into one PDF, continue with Image to PDF.