Why PNG Files Don’t Have a "Quality" Setting
Unlike JPEG, PNG is a lossless format, meaning it doesn’t lose any image data or quality during saving. This is why you won’t find a “quality” slider when saving a PNG file—its image quality is always retained.
Compression in PNG Files
While PNG files don’t lose quality, they can still be compressed using the Deflate algorithm. This compression reduces file size without affecting image quality. You can adjust the compression level (from 1 to 9), but it only impacts file size, not image quality.
Factors Affecting PNG Files
- Bit Depth: Higher bit depths provide more color information, which increases file size but not quality.
- Transparency: PNG supports transparency via an alpha channel, which can slightly increase file size without reducing quality.
- Dithering: Used to simulate smoother gradients, but doesn’t affect quality.
PNG vs. JPEG
PNG is ideal for lossless images like logos or illustrations, while JPEG is better for photos or images where file size is more important than minor quality loss.
Conclusion
PNG ensures high-quality images without the need for a “quality” setting. If you need to balance file size and quality, consider using JPEG or WebP. But for lossless quality, PNG is the way to go.