JPG vs PNG for PDF Export
Compare JPG and PNG when exporting PDF pages as images for web, slides, screenshots, diagrams, and text-heavy pages.
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The Short Answer
Use JPG for photographic pages, presentation previews, and web images where smaller files matter. Use PNG when sharp edges, flat colors, transparency, or text clarity matter more than size.
Why JPG Is Smaller
JPG uses lossy compression. It removes visual information that is less noticeable in photos, which makes it efficient for image-heavy PDF pages. Around text and thin lines, the same compression can create artifacts.
Why PNG Can Look Cleaner
PNG is lossless and handles flat colors, screenshots, charts, and text edges well. The tradeoff is that files can be much larger, especially for full-page exports.
If JPG is the required output, use PDF to JPG and choose enough resolution for the final use.
Decision Checklist
For a brochure page with photos, choose JPG. For a UI screenshot, table, legal excerpt, or diagram, compare PNG. For thumbnails, JPG is usually enough. For archiving exact visual detail, keep the original PDF too.
For a full workflow, read the PDF to JPG guide.