---
title: ".png file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .png file is a Portable Network Graphics. Lossless image format with transparency, made for screenshots, logos and web graphics. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/png/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .png files

**.png file: Portable Network Graphics**

Lossless image format with transparency, made for screenshots, logos and web graphics.

## What opens a .png file

- **Windows:** Photos (built in), Paint (built in), IrfanView, Adobe Photoshop
- **macOS:** Preview (built in), Photos (built in), GIMP
- **Linux:** Image Viewer / Loupe (built in), GIMP, Krita
- **In a browser:** Any web browser

## What a .png file is

PNG was designed in 1996 as a patent-free replacement for GIF and became an official ISO standard. It compresses without losing any detail and supports a full alpha channel, which is why screenshots, logos and UI graphics use it. The trade-off is size: a photograph saved as PNG is typically several times larger than the same photo as JPEG.

## Converting it

A .png file is commonly converted to .jpg, .webp, .svg, .pdf or .ico. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.

## Details

- **Extension:** .png
- **Full name:** Portable Network Graphics
- **Category:** Images
- **MIME type:** image/png
- **Created by:** PNG Development Group / W3C
- **Format:** Binary

## Common questions

### How do I open a .png file?

On Windows use Photos (built in); on macOS use Preview (built in); on Linux use Image Viewer / Loupe (built in). Lossless image format with transparency, made for screenshots, logos and web graphics.

### What is a .png file?

Portable Network Graphics. PNG was designed in 1996 as a patent-free replacement for GIF and became an official ISO standard. It compresses without losing any detail and supports a full alpha channel, which is why screenshots, logos and UI graphics use it.

### Can I convert a .png file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .jpg, .webp, .svg, .pdf or .ico, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.jpg — JPEG Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/jpg/)
- [.jpeg — JPEG Image (four-letter form)](https://atoneplace.net/file/jpeg/)
- [.heic — High Efficiency Image Container](https://atoneplace.net/file/heic/)
- [.webp — WebP Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/webp/)
- [.gif — Graphics Interchange Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/gif/)
- [.psd — Adobe Photoshop Document](https://atoneplace.net/file/psd/)
- [.svg — Scalable Vector Graphics](https://atoneplace.net/file/svg/)
- [.ai — Adobe Illustrator Artwork](https://atoneplace.net/file/ai/)
- [.avif — AV1 Image File Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/avif/)
- [.tiff — Tagged Image File Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/tiff/)
- [.raw — Camera Raw Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/raw/)
- [.ico — Windows Icon](https://atoneplace.net/file/ico/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)