Files with png extensions are commonly used for Portable Network Graphic files. PNG is a bitmap image mainly used on web pages.
There are 2 other file types using
the PNG file extension!
.png - Corel PaintShop Photo Pro browser catalogue
.png - Adobe Fireworks proprietary PNG data
Software that open png file
PNG file extension - Portable Network Graphic file
What is png file? How to open png files?
File extension png is commonly used for Portable Network Graphics file format images.
PNG is a bitmap graphics format similar to GIF that uses image compression mainly for web purposes. PNG is a lossless format with 16.7 million colors, index color, grayscale, true color, and transparency, and it also is streamable, which makes it superior to GIF.
The WWW consortium approved the format as a standard to replace GIF because GIF uses a patented data compression algorithm called LZW. In contrast, PNG is entirely patent- and license-free.
Initially, only Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer supported PNG file format, but today every web browser can read the format correctly.
Some games also use this format to store images. For example, the Spore computer game saves its creature's images for Sporepedia in PNG format.
png MIME types:
image/png
image/x-png
application/png
application/x-png
Updated: February 4, 2025
The default software associated to open png file:
Company or developer:
Pierre-Emmanuel Gougelet
A free (for non-commercial purposes) powerful cross-platform media browser, viewer and converter. Compatible with more than 500 formats and also supports export to 70 different file formats. It works on Windows, Linux and macOS (OS X).
List of software applications associated to the .png file extension
Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open png file, edit png file, convert png file, view png file, play png file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).
Hint:
Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting png files.
Software that open png file - Portable Network Graphic file
Programs supporting the exension png on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open png file action.
Microsoft Windows:
Apple macOS / Mac OS X:
Multiplatform:
Main software associated with png file by default: XnView MP
Other suggested software: Affinity Photo