Why PNG files are so large
PNG is a lossless format — it stores every pixel exactly, compressing only with the same algorithm ZIP uses. That is perfect for logos, UI elements, and screenshots, but disastrous for photographs: a photo saved as PNG is routinely 5–10× larger than the same image as JPG, with zero visible benefit.
The other common cause of huge PNGs is screenshots from high-DPI (Retina) displays, which are captured at 2× or 3× resolution. A "small" screenshot can easily be 3000 pixels wide and several megabytes.
The best way to shrink a PNG
| Your image | Best output | Typical savings |
|---|---|---|
| Logo / icon / UI with transparency | WebP (keeps alpha channel) | 60–90% |
| Screenshot | WebP or JPG | 70–90% |
| Photo saved as PNG by mistake | JPG at 80–85% | 80–95% |
| Image that must stay .png | PNG, resized to needed dimensions | depends on resize |
This page defaults to WebP output because it is the honest best answer: WebP supports full transparency like PNG but compresses far smaller, and every modern browser, Office and design tool opens it. If you specifically need a .png file, switch the output selector — note that browser-based PNG re-encoding mainly saves space when combined with resizing.
PNG vs the alternatives
Not sure whether PNG is even the right format for your image? The rule of thumb: photos → JPG/WebP, graphics with sharp edges or transparency → PNG/WebP. We break this down with examples in PNG vs JPG and Best image format for websites.