File format · Lossless image

.PNG — PNG

Lossless format with transparency — ideal for graphics, screenshots and logos, inefficient for photos.

.png
File extension
Lossless image
Type
8/16-bit
Bit depth
1996
Introduced

What is a .png file?#

Lossless format with transparency — ideal for graphics, screenshots and logos, inefficient for photos.

Advantages#

  • Lossless
  • Transparency
  • 16-bit option

Drawbacks#

  • Large photo files

How to open and convert it#

Open: any modern image viewer or editor. Convert: Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo, ImageMagick (magick input.png output.jpg) or online converters.

Read metadata: exiftool file.png — see the EXIF tag reference.

Best for: Graphics, screenshots, overlays.

Other formats#

.avi.avif.bpg.btf.cos.dcp.dv.dvb.dvr-ms.eip.exif.exv.fits.flif.flv.fpf.fpx.gif.glv.hdr.insp.insv.iso.jxl

Frequently asked questions#

What opens .png files?

Open: any modern image viewer or editor. Convert: Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo, ImageMagick (magick input.png output.jpg) or online converters.

Is .png a RAW file?

No — it is a lossless image format.

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources