JPEG XL guide, tested 16 Oct 2026
Convert JXL to PNG for free and keep the transparency
To convert JXL to PNG on a Mac, open the .jxl in Preview and choose File, Export, Format PNG. On Windows or Linux, use the free djxl tool. PNG keeps every pixel and the transparency. Expect a bigger file: 35 MB against 14 MB for our 25 MP cutouts.
2 computers per licence. Full refund within 14 days, no reason needed.
25 MP cutouts saved without loss: average file size
- PNG35 MB · 100%
- WebP lossless23 MB · 65%
- JPEG XL lossless, AwaCut18 MB · 53%
- JPEG XL lossless, cjxl14 MB · 41%
- Pixel-identical in our test
- No upload needed
- Whole folders in AwaCut
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Mac: Preview
Open the .jxl in Preview, then File, Export, Format PNG. In our test the transparency came through, pixel for pixel.
Any computer: djxl
Install libjxl with Homebrew, your Linux package manager or from its GitHub page, then run djxl photo.jxl photo.png. In our test the PNG kept the transparency with every pixel identical.
Whole folders: AwaCut or XnConvert
Convert Images in AwaCut turns a whole folder of JXL files into PNG in one run, transparency kept. XnConvert does it too: free for private use, a licence for business.
JXL to PNG converters, tool by tool
Preview and sips
- Runs on
- Mac, built in
- Good to know
- Transparency kept, pixels identical in our test
djxl (libjxl)
- Runs on
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Good to know
- Transparency kept, pixels identical in our test. Free and open source
GIMP 3
- Runs on
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Good to know
- Free, one file at a time
XnConvert
- Runs on
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Good to know
- Whole folders. Free for private use, a licence for business
AwaCut (Convert Images)
- Runs on
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Good to know
- Whole folders, transparency kept. 10 photos free, then the yearly licence
Online converters
- Runs on
- Browser
- Good to know
- The file may go to a server: check before you send client photos
| Tool | Runs on | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Preview and sips | Mac, built in | Transparency kept, pixels identical in our test |
| djxl (libjxl) | Mac, Windows, Linux | Transparency kept, pixels identical in our test. Free and open source |
| GIMP 3 | Mac, Windows, Linux | Free, one file at a time |
| XnConvert | Mac, Windows, Linux | Whole folders. Free for private use, a licence for business |
| AwaCut (Convert Images) | Mac, Windows, Linux | Whole folders, transparency kept. 10 photos free, then the yearly licence |
| Online converters | Browser | The file may go to a server: check before you send client photos |
Tested on macOS 27 with libjxl 0.12, 16 October 2026.
Three JXL to PNG surprises
Picking JPG by habit
JPG has no transparency: in our test the transparent area of a cutout came out black. For a cutout, PNG is the format.
Expecting a small file
PNG keeps every pixel but is bigger: 35 MB against 14 MB for the same cutout in our test. Shopify takes up to 20 MB and 20 MP, eBay up to 12 MB, so shrink large photos before you upload. Keep the JXL as the archive.
Uploading client photos
A web converter may send your photos to its server. Preview, djxl, GIMP, XnConvert and AwaCut all convert on your own computer.
Why PNG and not WebP
Shopify, Amazon, eBay and Canva all accept PNG. None of them lists JXL. Lossless WebP is a third smaller, but Amazon's list of accepted formats does not include it. If a photo still has its background, AwaCut opens the .jxl directly and cuts out the whole folder.
Try it on your own photos: the first 10 are free, no account.
2 computers per licence. Full refund within 14 days, no reason needed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert JXL to PNG on a Mac?
Open the file in Preview and choose File, Export, Format PNG. For a whole folder, run this in Terminal inside the folder: for f in *.jxl; do sips -s format png "$f" --out "${f%.jxl}.png"; done
How do I convert JXL to PNG on Windows?
Run the free djxl tool from libjxl: djxl photo.jxl photo.png. Or open the file in GIMP 3 and choose File, Export As, PNG. For a whole folder, use Convert Images in AwaCut or XnConvert.
Does JXL to PNG keep the transparency?
Yes. In our test both sips and djxl kept the alpha channel, and both PNGs were identical to the original pixel for pixel.
Why is the PNG so much bigger than the JXL?
Both keep every pixel, but JPEG XL compresses better. Our 25 MP cutouts averaged 14 MB as JXL and 35 MB as PNG.
Is JXL to PNG lossless?
Yes. The PNG stores every pixel the JXL decodes to, so nothing more is lost. If the JXL itself was saved lossy, that earlier loss stays.
Can I convert a whole folder of JXL to PNG at once?
Yes. Convert Images in AwaCut converts a folder in one run, 10 photos free and then with the licence. XnConvert does too; it is free for private use and needs a licence for business. With djxl, run this inside the folder: for f in *.jxl; do djxl "$f" "${f%.jxl}.png"; done
How do I convert JXL to PNG on Linux?
Install libjxl from your package manager and run djxl photo.jxl photo.png. GIMP 3, XnConvert and AwaCut also open .jxl and save PNG.
Need the background gone too?
AwaCut opens the .jxl files as they are. Remove Background cuts out the whole folder and saves transparent PNG at the original size; Convert Images only changes the format. On your own computer, 10 photos free in each.
macOS
macOS 13.4+ (Apple silicon)v1.0.7 · 186 MB
Windows
Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)v1.0.7 · 176 MB
Linux
AppImage (x86-64)v1.0.7 · 263 MB
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No AwaCut account. No credits. No uploads. 2 computers per licence, full refund within 14 days.