Field guide

What happens to transparency when you make a JPG?

Learn why transparent pixels need a background color and how to avoid unexpected black or white areas.

JPG has no alpha channel

A JPG pixel stores color but not transparency. Transparent and semi-transparent source pixels must be blended against a solid background.

Choose the same color as the page, slide or document where the image will appear to avoid a visible box.

Retain the original PNG or WebP when you may need transparency again. Converting back from JPG cannot restore it.