┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : PNG Development Group
│ CATEGORY : Image
│ MIME TYPE : image/png
│ MAGIC BYTES : 89504E470D0A1A0A
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is a PNG file?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless image format created in 1996 as a patent-free alternative to GIF. It supports full-color images with alpha transparency, making it the go-to format for web graphics, logos, and screenshots.
How to open PNG files
PNG is universally supported:
- Any web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
- Windows Photos (Windows) — Built-in
- Preview (macOS) — Built-in
- GIMP (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free, open-source
- Adobe Photoshop (Windows, macOS)
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless (DEFLATE) |
| Color Depth | 1-bit to 48-bit |
| Color Spaces | RGB, RGBA, Grayscale, Indexed |
| Transparency | Full alpha channel support |
| Animation | Not supported (see APNG) |
| Interlacing | Adam7 interlace supported |
Common use cases
- Web graphics: Logos, icons, and UI elements with transparency
- Screenshots: Pixel-perfect capture without compression artifacts
- Digital art: Lossless storage preserves all detail
- Print graphics: When lossless quality is required