JPG vs PNG vs WebP: Which Format Should You Use When Converting a PDF?
When you convert a PDF page into an image, you have to pick a format. The three common choices are JPG, PNG and WebP. Each one is good at different things, and choosing the right one can mean the difference between a crisp image and a blurry one, or between a 200 KB file and a 3 MB file.
The short answer
| Situation | Best format |
|---|---|
| Page with mostly text, a chart or a diagram | PNG |
| Page with photos, or sharing on messaging apps | JPG |
| Images for a website | WebP |
| Uploading to a form that lists accepted formats | Whatever the form accepts (usually JPG) |
| Printing | PNG or high-quality JPG at 300 DPI |
JPG: small files, built for photos
JPG (also written JPEG) uses "lossy" compression. It throws away details that the eye is unlikely to notice, which makes files small. This works very well for photographs, where colors change gradually. It works less well for sharp edges, such as black text on a white background: at lower quality settings you may see faint smudges around letters, called compression artifacts.
Use JPG when: the page contains photos, file size matters, or you need maximum compatibility. Every device, app and website accepts JPG.
PNG: sharp and lossless
PNG uses "lossless" compression. Nothing is thrown away, so text edges and thin lines stay perfectly sharp. The downside is file size: a page full of photos saved as PNG can be several times larger than the same page as JPG. PNG also supports transparency, although pages converted from a PDF normally have a white background anyway.
Use PNG when: the page is mostly text, tables, charts, slides or screenshots, and you want the cleanest possible result.
WebP: the modern web format
WebP was developed by Google specifically for websites. It can work in lossy mode (like JPG) or lossless mode (like PNG), and it usually produces smaller files than either for similar visual quality. All current major browsers display WebP images.
The main limitation is outside the browser. Some older desktop software, printers and upload forms still do not accept WebP. If you are not sure the receiver can open it, choose JPG or PNG.
Use WebP when: the images will be displayed on a website, and you want faster loading pages.
Quality settings matter as much as format
JPG and WebP have a quality setting. In our PDF to Image tool you can choose High, Medium or Small file:
- High is best for pages with small text, where artifacts would be visible.
- Medium is a good default for most uses.
- Small file is fine for previews and thumbnails, where detail is less important.
Resolution: the other half of the decision
Format decides how pixels are compressed; resolution decides how many pixels there are. A PNG at 72 DPI can look worse than a JPG at 150 DPI, simply because it has fewer pixels. For most screens and sharing, 150 DPI is the sweet spot. Our guide What is DPI? explains this in detail.
A practical example
Imagine a restaurant menu PDF with a photo at the top and prices below. If you want to post it on social media, JPG at 150 DPI and Medium quality gives a light file that looks good on phones. If you want to put the menu on the restaurant's website, WebP at the same settings will usually be even smaller. If you want to print a poster from it, PNG at 300 DPI keeps the prices razor-sharp.
Summary
Choose PNG for text and graphics, JPG for photos and compatibility, and WebP for websites. Then pick a sensible resolution, typically 150 DPI, and adjust the quality setting to balance sharpness and file size.