Take Control of Preview

Convert and Export

Preview can not only display a variety of image formats, but also convert from one to another. As we explain in Choosing a File Format, each format has its own advantages and disadvantages—for instance, JPEG is the right choice for photos because it produces nice photos at reasonable file sizes, while PNG is superior for simpler, on-screen graphics because it handles solid colors well.

When Should You Convert an Image’s File Format?

Some image formats incorporate lossy compression, so converting from one to another can reduce image quality. Why would you convert formats? Here are a few good reasons:

• You need to open an image in a particular app, but that app doesn’t support the image’s current format.

• You need part of ...