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Which format should I download my collage in: JPEG, PNG or WebP?

For a collage of product shots or real photos, choose JPEG: a reasonable file size that every platform and app accepts. Choose PNG when you need a transparent background or the images are graphics with sharp lines and text, and WebP when you want transparency in a smaller file and have checked that the place you upload to accepts it.

Published · 3 min read

What the three formats actually do in this tool

  • JPEG in the Image collage maker maker: saved at quality 92, lossy but easy on the eye for photos. No transparency, so if you tick the transparent background the background color is used instead and the tool tells you.
  • PNG: lossless, so every pixel is kept exactly as drawn, and it supports transparency. With photos, though, it usually comes out much heavier than JPEG at the same dimensions.
  • WebP: also saved at quality 92, lossy, supports transparency and is usually smaller. The downside is that some platforms and older software do not accept it.

Choose by what happens to the image next

  1. An Instagram post, a picture sent on WhatsApp, or a product image on Shopify or Salla: JPEG. It is accepted everywhere, and quality 92 shows no obvious difference in photos.
  2. A collage with rounded corners or circles that you will place over a colored background in another design: PNG or WebP with “Transparent background (PNG and WebP only)” ticked, so the corners stay clear instead of showing white squares.
  3. A collage of screenshots, price tables or logos with sharp edges and small text: PNG, since lossy compression can leave faint noise around letters.
  4. An image for your own website where you want the lightest file: WebP, once you have confirmed the platform or theme takes it.

Example: one collage, two destinations

Worked example

A collage of 6 abaya photos with rounded corners and a white margin, to be posted on Instagram and also placed in a pink banner on your store.

For the post: JPEG on white. For the banner: download a second copy as PNG with a transparent background, so the rounded corners sit on the pink instead of carrying white squares.

Common format mistakes

  • Picking PNG for photos because it sounds like higher quality, then having the platform reject the file for its size. The visual gain is small; the size difference is large.
  • Saving the collage as JPEG, then compressing it again and again. Every lossy save adds noise, so compress once with the Image compressor if you need to.
  • Choosing WebP and then finding the upload form refuses it. Go back to the tool and download a JPEG with the same settings; they stay in place while the page is open.
  • Expecting transparency from JPEG. The tool disables the transparency option for JPEG and uses the background color.

Some older browsers cannot save WebP at all. The tool checks the file after creating it, and if it did not come out in the requested format it shows a message asking you to pick another format or use a newer browser, instead of handing you a mislabeled file.

Common questions

What is the downloaded file called?

A name with the dimensions and format, such as collage-1600x1072.jpg, so you know its size without opening it.

Can I pick a quality other than 92?

No, the quality is fixed in the collage maker. For a smaller file, compress the result after downloading at the quality you prefer.

Does the format change the dimensions?

No. The dimensions come from the grid and width settings alone; the format only changes how the pixels are stored.