PNG vs JPEG: Which Saves at Higher Quality?
Short answer: a PNG keeps more image quality than a JPEG, because PNG uses lossless compression and JPEG uses lossy compression. But neither format increases resolution. The pixel dimensions are the same whichever you choose, and if the original image is small, saving it as a PNG will not make it any sharper. This article explains the difference, when to use each one, and what to do when neither is good enough for print.
Lossless vs lossy compression
A PNG uses lossless compression. No image data is thrown away when it is saved, so you can open, edit and re-save a PNG as many times as you like and it will look exactly the same.
A JPEG uses lossy compression. To make the file smaller, it permanently discards some detail, even at the highest quality setting. Each time a JPEG is edited and saved again, a little more is lost. Over several saves you start to see blocky patches, smudged edges and faint “halos” around text and sharp lines. These are called compression artefacts.
Resolution vs quality
“Resolution” refers to the number of pixels in an image, for example 1920 × 1080 pixels. That number is the same whether the image is saved as a JPEG or a PNG. What changes is how faithfully the format stores those pixels.
So when people ask “which saves as a higher resolution?”, the real answer is that a PNG saves at higher quality, not higher resolution. A 300 × 300 pixel logo is still 300 × 300 pixels in either format, and it will still look soft or pixelated if it is enlarged to fit a sign or a shirt.
For print, the usual guide is around 300 pixels per inch at the final printed size. A logo that needs to be printed 20 cm wide needs roughly 2,400 pixels across. Most logos taken from websites and social media profiles are only a few hundred pixels wide.
When to use PNG
- Logos, icons and illustrations with flat colours and sharp edges
- Screenshots and images containing text
- Graphics that need a transparent background, for example a logo placed over a photo or a coloured website header
- Working files you will edit and re-save several times
When to use JPEG
- Photographs and images with smooth gradients and lots of colours
- Website images where a small file size and fast loading matter
- Emailing photos where the exact pixel detail is not important
JPEG does not support transparency. A logo saved as a JPEG will always sit on a solid background, usually white, which is why you sometimes see a white box around a logo on a coloured website or document.
Summary comparison table
| Feature | JPEG (JPG) | PNG |
| Compression | Lossy (data is lost) | Lossless (no data is lost) |
| Quality | High quality at max settings, but some data is always discarded | Preserves original quality perfectly |
| File Size | Generally smaller, especially for photos | Generally larger, as more data is retained |
| Transparency | Not supported (fills with a solid color, usually white) | Supported, including varying degrees of transparency |
| Best For | Photographs, web use where speed is key | Graphics, logos, screenshots, images with text |
What about printing?
For professional print, a high-resolution TIFF or PSD is often preferred for photographs, because these formats keep full quality and support CMYK colour. For logos and text, printers almost always prefer a vector file (AI, EPS, vector PDF or SVG) over any pixel-based format.
A vector file is not made of pixels at all. It is made of paths and shapes, so it has no fixed resolution. The same file prints perfectly on a business card and on a 6-metre banner. You can read more in What Printers Actually Need: Vector File Requirements Explained.
Common mistakes
- Converting a small JPEG to PNG to “improve” it. The PNG will be bigger, but it will not be any sharper. Any blur or artefacts in the JPEG are carried across.
- Repeatedly editing a JPEG. Each save loses more quality. Keep a PNG or original master and export JPEGs from that.
- Upscaling in an image editor. Stretching a 400-pixel logo to 4,000 pixels creates a larger, blurrier image, not a sharper one.
- Saving a JPEG “as” an EPS or PDF. The file extension changes but the logo is still a grid of pixels inside. See How to Check If Your Logo Is Truly a Vector File.
What to do if your logo is only a small JPEG or PNG
This is very common. A business has used the same logo for years, the original designer is long gone, and the best copy anyone can find is a small image from the website or a Facebook page. It looks fine on screen but the printer, sign writer or embroiderer says it is not good enough.
There are two ways to fix it:
- Image enhancement – suitable for photos and detailed artwork. The image is cleaned up and enlarged so it can be printed bigger. See Enhancing Low-Resolution Images: From Pixelated to Perfect.
- Vector redrawing – the best option for logos, text and line art. The logo is redrawn by hand as clean vector shapes, so it can be used at any size, in any colour, for print, signage, embroidery and the web. Auto-trace tools rarely do this well, as explained in Why Auto-Tracing Logos Produces Poor Vector Results.
Once you have a vector master file, you can export perfect PNGs and JPEGs at any size whenever you need them, rather than hunting for the “good copy” every time.
Summary
- PNG keeps more quality than JPEG, but neither adds resolution.
- Use PNG for logos, text and transparency. Use JPEG for photos and fast-loading web images.
- For print, logos should be supplied as vector files, not PNG or JPEG.
- If you only have a small image of your logo, it can be redrawn as a vector.
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