.png file extension

.png

Portable Network Graphic (PNG) file.

The PNG (Portable Network Graphics) file format was created in 1996. It is an image format that uses lossless data compression. Images saved as .png can be viewed by virtually all internet browsers.

PNG was originally designed as an alternative to .gif images. Files saved as .png can support more colours than .gif, png can support more transparent layers than .gif, and .png can compress files better than .gif. However, .gif supports animation, .png does not. Also, .gif is supported in more graphics editors than .png. Files stored as .png suffer less image distortion than other formats. Some graphic editors will default to .png format.

For more information see:

www.libpng.org/pub/png - Resources relating to the PNG image format.
http://everything.explained.at/Portable_Network_Graphics - Portable Network Graphics explained.
http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/pngaped.html - List of editors and graphics packages, for a variety of platforms, known to work with PNG images.

Download Filestar to convert .png files. Filestar is an universal file converter for Windows that supports over 600 different file types.

Can you add to this? Do you know of any applications not already listed which will work with .png files, view .png files or open .png files? Are you able to contribute any additional reference information or file format information about .png files or have you spotted any errors or omissions? If so please let us know by emailing us at feedback@cryer.co.uk - Thank you.