Portable Network Graphics
What is a PNG file?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) was created in 1996 as a free replacement for GIF. It compresses images without losing any detail, and supports transparent backgrounds. That makes it the standard for screenshots, logos, charts and interface graphics, where every pixel and every letter needs to stay crisp.
How to open a PNG file
- Windows
- Double-click to open in the Photos app, or edit it in Paint.
- Mac
- Double-click to open in Preview, which can also crop, resize and annotate it.
- iPhone
- Screenshots are saved as PNG in Photos automatically; PNG files from elsewhere open in Files or can be saved to Photos.
- Android
- Open it in Google Photos or the Gallery app; screenshots on most phones are PNGs already.
Good for
- No quality loss, ever
- Transparent backgrounds
- Text and thin lines stay razor sharp
Watch out for
- Much larger than JPG for photos
- No support for animation in most apps
- Not ideal for photo galleries on the web
PNG file questions
Why is my PNG so much bigger than a JPG?
PNG keeps every pixel exactly, while JPG throws some detail away. For photos, JPG is usually the better choice.
Does a PNG keep a transparent background in a PDF?
Transparent areas show the page background instead, which is white in almost every PDF viewer.
How do I send several screenshots as one file?
Combine them into a single PDF, one screenshot per page, so they stay in order and are easy to read.