Why Converting JPG to PNG Doesn't Make the Background Transparent

PNG can store transparency, but it doesn't create it

JPG has no transparency at all. Every pixel has a color, including the white background around the object.

PNG can store transparent pixels, but a converter doesn't know which part of the picture is background. It copies the pixels as they are, so a white background in the JPG becomes white pixels in the PNG.

To make the background disappear, it has to be detected and removed. That's a separate step called background removal.

How to check if a PNG is really transparent

Place the file on a colored slide, or open it in an app that shows transparency as a grey-and-white checkerboard. If you see the slide color around the object, the background is transparent.

Be careful with images from search results labeled "transparent PNG". Often the checkerboard is simply drawn into the picture. On your slide you'll see the same grey and white squares.

How to make a PNG with a transparent background

1. Open Remove background and add a JPG, PNG or WebP photo.
2. The first time, your browser downloads the recognition model, about 40 MB. After that, the photo is processed on your device and isn't sent anywhere.
3. If the edges aren't clean, open the Magic brush. Restore brings back the parts you need, and Erase removes what's left over.
4. Click Download PNG. The file will have a transparent background.

When a plain conversion is enough

If the image already has transparency, for example a WebP or GIF, Convert to PNG keeps it. You can convert up to 20 files at a time, up to 30 MB each.

A plain JPG to PNG conversion is useful too. PNG is lossless, so you can edit and re-save the file without losing quality. It will be larger than the JPG, though.

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