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WebP files: what they are and how to open or convert them

WebP is Google's modern web image format. It supports both lossy and lossless compression plus transparency, and typically comes out 25-35% smaller than an equivalent JPG or PNG. Every current browser displays it, but some older desktop apps and upload forms still reject it.

What is a WebP file?

WebP is an image format Google released in 2010 to make web pages lighter. It supports lossy compression like JPG, lossless compression like PNG, transparency, and animation, and typically produces files 25 to 35 percent smaller than the equivalent JPG or PNG at the same visual quality. Every modern browser has supported it since 2020, so a large share of the images you save from websites now come down as .webp.

How to open a WebP file

Any current browser displays WebP, and Windows 11 Photos, macOS Preview (since Big Sur), and recent Android and iOS versions open it too. Where it fails is older desktop software: Photoshop needed a plugin until 2022, many upload forms only accept JPG or PNG, and Microsoft Office and email clients are inconsistent.

When something refuses a WebP, convert it to PNG (lossless, keeps transparency) or JPG (smaller, for photos). Both converters run in your browser and take a batch of files at once.

When to use WebP

Use it for images on websites: it is the format Google PageSpeed asks for, and it cuts page weight without visible loss. Keep a PNG or JPG master for editing and for anything that has to open in older tools. Animated WebP is a much smaller alternative to GIF, but GIF still wins on compatibility in chat apps and forums.

Frequently asked questions

Is WebP lossy or lossless?

Either. A WebP file can use lossy compression for photos or lossless compression for graphics and screenshots; the encoder decides per file.

Why do images download as WebP?

Because the website serves WebP to browsers that support it. Right-click and copy the image, or save it and convert it to PNG or JPG here.

Does WebP support transparency?

Yes, in both lossy and lossless modes, which is one advantage over JPG.

Convert or edit WebP files

WebP to PNG.webp → .pngWebP to JPG.webp → .jpgCompress ImageReduce image file size in your browser without uploadingResize ImageResize JPG, PNG, WebP, and HEIC images to exact pixel dimensions or a percentage, right in your browserCrop ImageCrop photos to a square, 16:9, 9:16, 4:5, or exact pixel size in your browserRotate ImageRotate images by 90, 180, or 270 degrees and flip them horizontally or vertically in your browserAdd Watermark to ImageStamp a text watermark on photos in your browser: choose position, size, opacity, or tile it across the imageImage to Pixel ArtTurn any photo or drawing into pixel art in your browser: choose the pixel size, a limited palette (16 colors, Game Boy, PICO-8), and ditheringSprite Sheet MakerPack animation frames or the frames of a GIF into a sprite sheet grid with JSON coordinates, in your browserSprite Sheet SplitterSplit a sprite sheet or tileset into individual PNG frames by grid or tile size, in your browserPNG to ICOConvert a PNG into a multi-size ICO file for favicons and Windows icons, in your browserResize to 8×8Resize any image to exactly 8×8 pixels in your browser, with smooth or crisp pixel-art scaling and transparent paddingResize to 16×16Resize any image to exactly 16×16 pixels in your browser, with smooth or crisp pixel-art scaling and transparent paddingResize to 32×32Resize any image to exactly 32×32 pixels in your browser, with smooth or crisp pixel-art scaling and transparent paddingResize to 64×64Resize any image to exactly 64×64 pixels in your browser, with smooth or crisp pixel-art scaling and transparent paddingResize to 128×128Resize any image to exactly 128×128 pixels in your browser, with smooth or crisp pixel-art scaling and transparent paddingResize to 256×256Resize any image to exactly 256×256 pixels in your browser, with smooth or crisp pixel-art scaling and transparent paddingPixel Art UpscalerScale pixel art, sprites, and game textures up 2x to 16x with crisp nearest-neighbour scaling, in your browserQR Code ReaderRead a QR code from a photo or screenshot in your browserImage to Text (OCR)Extract text from photos, screenshots, and scans in your browser with on-device OCREXIF ViewerInspect the metadata inside a photo: camera model, lens, settings, date taken, editing software, and GPS locationRemove EXIF DataStrip metadata, location, and camera details from JPG, PNG, WebP, and HEIC photos before sharingImages to GIFCombine JPG, PNG, WebP, or HEIC images into an animated GIF in your browserJPG to PDFConvert JPG photos into a PDF in your browser: one image per page, in order, with optional A4 or Letter pages and marginsPNG to PDFConvert PNG images into a PDF in your browser, one per page, with exact-size or A4/Letter pages

Make WebP files

PNG to WebP.png → .webpJPG to WebP.jpg → .webp