What is a JPG file?
JPG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group image. It was created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group and first released in 1992. JPG discards fine detail the eye is least sensitive to, which is why a photo shrinks to a tenth of its raw size but text and sharp edges pick up blocky artefacts. Every re-save at a lossy setting throws away a little more.
JPEG and JFIF are the same format under another extension.
| Type | image |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy |
| Colour | 24-bit colour, 16.7 million colours |
| Transparency | No |
| Animation | No |
| In a browser | opens in every browser and image viewer |
| Common uses | camera photos, web images and email attachments |
| MIME type | image/jpeg |
Which format should you convert JPG to?
- JPG to JPEG for photos that must open everywhere and stay small.
- JPG to PNG for screenshots, logos and anything with transparency.
- JPG to WebP for the smallest file on a website.
- JPG to PDF to print, or to attach as a document.
- JPG to ICO to use as a website favicon.
JPG is already lossy, so converting it to a lossless format makes the file bigger without improving it; pick a lossless target only if a program requires one.
How to open a JPG file
Whether a JPG file opens with a double click depends on the device. Here is what works on each, without buying software:
| Windows | The Photos app opens common image formats. If JPG is not among them, a browser or a free viewer such as IrfanView will open it. |
|---|---|
| Mac | Preview opens most image formats and PDF files; Quick Look (press the space bar in Finder) shows a preview without opening an app. |
| iPhone and iPad | The Files app and Photos show common image types and PDF files. Other formats need an app, or converting here. |
| Android | Google Photos and Files by Google open common images and PDFs. Other formats need a viewer app, or converting here. |
| Web browser | JPG opens in every browser and image viewer. |
Want the technical details? See what a .jpg file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
JPG compared with other image formats
How JPG stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPG | Lossy | No | 1992 | camera photos, web images and email attachments |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | 1996 | screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with transparency |
| WebP | Either | Yes | 2010 | images served by websites to save bandwidth |
| HEIC | Lossy | Yes | 2017 | photos taken on iPhones and iPads since iOS 11 |
| GIF | Lossless | Yes | 1987 | short looping animations, reactions and simple graphics |
How to use the JPG converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your JPG files on the box, or press Choose JPG files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. Converting to AVIF, DDS, HEIC, HEIF, PCX, PSD uses our server, which deletes the file right after; the rest never leave your device.
Tips for converting JPG files without losing quality
JPG is lossy, so some detail was already discarded when the file was made. Converting it cannot bring that back. Converting to a lossless format preserves what is left exactly but makes the file larger; converting to another lossy format adds a small extra loss, which is invisible at sensible settings.
- Choose by content: photos belong in JPG or WebP, while screenshots, logos and anything with transparency belong in PNG or WebP.
- Resize before you send. A modern phone photo is far wider than any screen, and scaling it to 1920 pixels removes most of the file size.
- Keep originals. Re-saving a JPG again and again slowly degrades it; convert from the original each time.
- Converting through the browser removes EXIF metadata such as GPS location, which is useful when sharing photos publicly.
Convert JPG files from the command line
Everything this page does can also be done in a terminal. The most common JPG conversion, to SVG, looks like this with ImageMagick:
magick input.jpg output.svgChange the output extension to pick another format. The converter above runs the same kind of conversion inside your browser, so you get the result without installing anything.
JPG converter FAQ
What is a JPG file?
JPG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group image, an image format created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group in 1992. JPG discards fine detail the eye is least sensitive to, which is why a photo shrinks to a tenth of its raw size but text and sharp edges pick up blocky artefacts. Every re-save at a lossy setting throws away a little more.
How do I open a JPG file?
JPG opens in every browser and image viewer. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common JPG conversion?
JPG to SVG is the conversion people search for most. The image is decoded and written as an SVG traced from the shapes and colours of the image.
Does converting JPG files here upload them?
Only for some conversions. Converting to AVIF, DDS, HEIC, HEIF, PCX, PSD uses our conversion server, where the file is deleted as soon as the result is sent back; the other conversions run inside your browser and never leave your device.
Is the JPG converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert JPG files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your JPG files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several JPG files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.