Converter Tools

Format conversion, done locally

Conversion is the most common file task there is, and also the one most often handed to a random website. Every converter here runs in your browser instead, decoding the source format and re-encoding to the target on your own device. Nothing is uploaded, so there is no waiting for a transfer, no queue, and no copy of your file left on a server you cannot audit. It also means conversion keeps working offline once the page has loaded.

Lossy and lossless conversions behave differently

Converting between lossless formats — PNG to BMP, or WAV to FLAC — preserves the data exactly. Converting into a lossy format such as JPEG, MP3, or WebP lossy discards information permanently, and converting from one lossy format to another compounds that loss because the second encoder is working from already-degraded output. The practical rule is to keep an original in a lossless or high-quality form and convert from that each time, rather than converting a converted file.

What gets lost between specific formats

Some conversions drop features rather than just quality. PNG to JPEG discards transparency, filling transparent regions with a solid colour, usually white. Animated GIF to a static format keeps only one frame. SVG to PNG converts resolution-independent vectors into a fixed pixel grid, so the output can no longer be scaled up cleanly — choose the largest size you will need at conversion time. PDF to an image format loses the text layer, meaning the result is no longer selectable or searchable.

Choosing a target format

Let the destination decide. For photographs going anywhere general, JPEG is the safe answer. For images on your own website, WebP saves 25 to 35% at equivalent quality. For graphics with transparency or crisp text, PNG. For documents that must look identical everywhere and cannot be casually edited, PDF. For audio where compatibility matters more than fidelity, MP3; where fidelity matters more, FLAC or WAV. When a platform publishes a required format, follow it exactly rather than assuming a modern alternative will be accepted.