Guides

The reasoning behind the dials. Written by the person who built the converter, from testing what each route actually does to real files.

A converter can tell you that a file changed format. It cannot tell you whether that was the right call. These guides cover the decisions around the conversion: which format suits which job, what a quality setting is really trading away, why a “lossless” conversion can triple your file size, and what quietly disappears from a photo on the way through. Every claim here is one you can verify on your own files with the converter on this site.

  1. Which image format should you actually use?

    Seven formats, one decision. Here is the short version and the reasoning behind it.

    9 min read
  2. Why is my PNG bigger than my JPG?

    The most common surprise in image conversion, explained, plus when the larger file is the right answer anyway.

    7 min read
  3. What quality 60, 85 and 95 actually do to your image

    The quality number is not a percentage. What it really controls, and how to choose one deliberately.

    8 min read
  4. Transparency: what survives a conversion and what doesn't

    Why your logo came back with a white box, and how to avoid it next time.

    7 min read
  5. What EXIF metadata is hiding in your photos

    Every photo you take carries a hidden record. What is in it, and how a format conversion strips it.

    8 min read
  6. How browser-based image conversion actually works

    The engineering behind a converter with no server, including the parts that are harder than they look.

    10 min read
  7. Preparing images for the web: a practical checklist

    The order of operations that matters, and why resizing beats every other optimisation.

    9 min read
  8. GIF in 2026: when it still makes sense

    A format from 1987 that refuses to die: where it still earns its place, and where it does not.

    7 min read

Looking for a quick answer?

The format reference puts all seven formats side by side: compression type, transparency support, browser support and what each one is actually for. If you already know the conversion you want, the route board has a page for each one.