How to Change Image Format

On a computer, image files will have many different extensions (also known as file extensions). The file format determines the software you use to open or edit the file, and the file extension (the part after the “.”) determines the image format. When working with images, sometimes we need to convert files to a new format, so learning some ways to approach this problem is also essential! JPEG (similar to the JPG format) is a popular image extension that you’ll probably want to use.

Table of Contents

Use default photo editing software

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Open the image file. When you need to convert an image file to another format, the easiest way is to use the operating system’s default image editing software. On Windows use “Paint” and on Mac use “Preview”.

Note that JPG and JPEG are two different names for the same file extension. You can choose one of these two names in the drop-down menu of the software.
Maybe use some other program – open the image in your favorite software, if not sure, try double click to check the default option on your computer.

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Select “File” at the top of the menu. You will see a drop-down menu corresponding to the file selection.

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Save or Export the image file. When you save a new version of the file, the format will be changed. This is useful because you can save the original of the file in case something goes wrong. You need to select “Save As” or “Export” (on Mac) to continue the process.

On some versions of the software, you need to “Copy” (make a copy) the file first and then “Save” the copy in the new format.

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Rename and reformat the file. A new window appears allowing you to adjust the file name and extension/format. In the “Format” or “Save as Type” drop-down menu, you’ll see about 12 options, including “.jpeg” (aka “.jpg”).

Rename the file or file location if desired, for example you can save the file on the desktop for easy access.
If the extension you want to convert is not in the drop-down menu, try using another editing software (e.g. Photoshop) or try a different method.

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Save file. After deciding on the file name, extension and location on your computer, click “Save”. This is an operation to convert the file to a new format while saving the original.

The “Preview” software (and some others) can convert multiple files – just highlight the file you want to convert and right-click to see the options. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Use software to change image format

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Find the right software. The default photo editing software can do most of the basic formatting operations. If you can’t do it, look on the internet for software to help you do this. Search for the keyword “extension A to extension B” and replace the specific file format in the search query.

For example, a search for “doc to pdf” or “jpg to gif” will bring up several free online converters.

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Upload your photo. Most conversion services are free of charge and download. Look for a service that allows you to upload photos for conversion.

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Follow the instructions. Sometimes the conversion page will ask you to enter an email to send the file after converting to that address. If not, you can wait a while and then download the file directly to your device.

Be wary of sites that ask for fees or personal information to convert files – keep in mind that there are many free services, you don’t need to provide too much information other than an email address.

Convert image format on phone

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Research image format conversion applications. You’ll find a few apps on both the Android and iOS app stores. Be sure to read through the comments section before downloading, both to gauge the overall quality and to ensure your images are secure.

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Download an application that converts image formats. Once selected, download the application to your device. You should download the image file (if you haven’t already) and remember where it is stored on your device. Some apps can automatically detect photos while others require you to locate them yourself.

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Convert image format. After downloading to your mobile device, you just need to open the application and follow the instructions to easily convert the image format.

Change file extension manually

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Find files. For image files, you can change the format by renaming the file (e.g. you delete the original extension and type something else instead). This is a great idea if the current format makes it impossible to access the file contents (the “invalid file format” error message appears.

Computers use the file extension as shorthand to understand what software you must use to open the file. Be careful when changing file extensions yourself and always back up before doing so. ^{[2] X Research Source}
This method may reduce image quality. You should use photo editing software. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Make file extension visible. Depending on the settings, the file extension display (3 letters after the dot in the file name) may not appear in the normal file display mode. On Windows, you need to adjust the “View” tab in the “Fpder options” section. It’s in the “Appearance and Personalization settings” section. On Mac, search for “Advanced Finder Preferences” to make the file extension appear.

For more detailed information about file extensions and how to display them, you can refer to the article Change file extensions.

Advice

File extensions are case-insensitive, although the general convention is to write them in lowercase.
.jpg and .jpeg are the same format, which can be used interchangeably on modern operating systems. The difference comes from the convention on some operating systems that only allow 3 character extensions. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Warning

DO NOT overwrite the original image – always back up the image before manipulation or select “save as” a new file to make a copy.

Things you need

Image file for format conversion
Computer
Image editing software (Paint, Preview, Photoshop, etc.)

Steps