---
name: "pngquant"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pngquant"
version: "3.0.3-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pngquant"
---

# pngquant(1)

PNG converter and lossy image compressor

## NAME

**pngquant** – PNG converter and lossy image compressor

## SYNOPSIS

**pngquant** ⟨options⟩ \[ncolors\] *file* \[*file ...*\]

**pngquant** ⟨options⟩ \[ncolors\] **-** **\<***file* **\>***file*

## DESCRIPTION

**pngquant** converts 32-bit RGBA PNGs to 8-bit (or smaller) RGBA-palette PNGs, optionally using Floyd-Steinberg dithering. The output filename is the same as the input name except that it ends in ‘-fs8.png’ or ‘-or8.png’ (unless the input is stdin, in which case the quantized image will go to stdout). The default behavior if the output file exists is to skip the conversion; use **-****-force** to overwrite.

## OPTIONS

- **-o** *out.png*, **-****-output** *out.png*

  Writes converted file to the given path. When this option is used only single input file is allowed.

- **-****-ext** *new.png*

  File extension (suffix) to use for output files instead of the default ‘-fs8.png’ or ‘-or8.png’.

- **-f**, **-****-force**

  Overwrite existing output files.“ **-****-ext** *.png* **-****-force**” can be used to convert files in place (which is unsafe).

- **-****-nofs**, **-****-ordered**

  Disable Floyd-Steinberg dithering.

- **-****-floyd** \[*=N*\]

  Set dithering level using fractional number between **0** (none) and **1** (full, the default).

- **-s** *N*, **-****-speed** *N*

  **1** (brute-force) to **11** (fastest). The default is **3**. Speed **10** has 5% lower quality, but is about 8 times faster than the default. Speed 11 disables dithering and lowers compression level.

- **-Q** *min-max*, **-****-quality** *min-max*

  *min* and *max* are numbers in range **0** (worst) to **100** (perfect), similar to JPEG. **pngquant** will use the least amount of colors required to meet or exceed the *max* quality. If conversion results in quality below the *min* quality the image won't be saved (or if outputting to stdin, 24-bit original will be output) and pngquant will exit with status code 99.

- **-****-skip-if-larger**

  If conversion results in a file larger than the original, the image won't be saved and pngquant will exit with status code 98. Additionally, file size gain must be greater than the amount of quality lost. If quality drops by 50%, it will expect 50% file size reduction to consider it worthwhile.

- **-****-posterize** *bits*

  Truncate number of least significant bits of color (per channel). Use this when image will be output on low-depth displays (e.g. 16-bit RGB). **pngquant** will make almost-opaque pixels fully opaque and will reduce amount of semi-transparent colors. When this option is enabled the default filename suffix is ‘-ie-fs8.png’ / ‘-ie-or8.png’.

- **-****-strip**

  Remove optional chunks (metadata) from PNG files.

- **-****-transbug**

  Workaround for readers that expect fully transparent color to be the last entry in the palette.

- **-v**, **-****-verbose**

  Enable verbose messages showing progress and information about input/output. Opposite is **-****-quiet**. Errors are output to *stderr* regardless of this option.

- **-V**, **-****-version**

  Display version on *stdout* and exit.

- **-h**, **-****-help**

  Display help and exit.

## EXAMPLE

Creating a new image with the number of colors reduced to 64:

**pngquant** **64** **image.png**

The resulting image will have 64 colors and will be saved as *image-fs8.png*.

Overwriting image in-place if it can be reduced without too much quality loss:

**pngquant** **-f** **--ext** **.png** **--quality** **70-95** **image.png**

## AUTHOR

**pngquant** is developed by Kornel Lesinski ⟨*kornel@pngquant.org*⟩ based on code by Greg Roelofs ⟨*newt@pobox.com*⟩.

*pngquant homepage:* **https://pngquant.org**.