How to open a .png file
Quick, free ways to open PNG on any system.
A .png file is a Portable Network Graphics. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads PNG yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .png file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .png. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Photos or Paint.
- On Mac, use Preview or Photos.
- On Linux, try Image Viewer or GIMP.
- Still stuck? Convert the .png to JPG, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .png files
Windows
- Photos
- Paint
- any browser
- any editor
macOS
- Preview
- Photos
- any browser
Linux
- Image Viewer
- GIMP
- any browser
Web
- Every browser
!
Before you open it: Safe. PNG is a static image and cannot carry executable code.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .png file?
Almost always because no installed app understands PNG. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
When should I use PNG instead of JPG?
Use PNG for logos, icons, screenshots, text and anything needing a transparent background. Use JPG for photographs where smaller files matter.
Why is my PNG so large?
PNG is lossless, so photos with millions of colours produce big files. For photos, JPG, WebP or AVIF will be far smaller.