What is a WEBP file?
You saved a picture from a website and ended up with a .webp file. Here's what the format is, why the web loves it and what to do when an app won't open it.
The short answer
WEBP is an image format that Google introduced in 2010. It was designed for one job: making pictures on web pages smaller so they load faster. A WEBP photo is typically 25–35% smaller than a JPG of the same visual quality, and a WEBP graphic is often smaller than the same image as PNG.
Because smaller images mean faster pages and lower bandwidth bills, most large websites, online shops and content delivery networks now serve WEBP to every browser that supports it – which today means practically all of them.
What WEBP can do
- Lossy compression for photos, similar to JPG but more efficient.
- Lossless compression for graphics and screenshots, like PNG.
- Transparency, even in lossy images – something JPG can’t do at all.
- Animation, as a lighter alternative to GIF.
That flexibility is also a source of confusion: two files called .webp can behave very differently. One may be a tiny lossy photo, another a lossless logo with a transparent background, a third an animation.
WEBP vs JPG vs PNG
| WEBP | JPG | PNG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos | Small files | Larger files | Very large files |
| Graphics and text | Good (lossless) | Blurry edges | Excellent |
| Transparency | Yes | No | Yes |
| Animation | Yes | No | No (APNG aside) |
| Opens everywhere | Mostly | Yes | Yes |
Which apps open WEBP?
- Browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari (since Safari 14 on macOS Big Sur and iOS 14).
- Windows 10 and 11: the Photos app opens WEBP on current versions.
- Mac: Preview and Photos open WEBP on recent macOS versions.
- Editors: Photoshop (since 2022), GIMP, Affinity and Canva support it.
The problems start with older software, the classic Windows Photo Viewer, some email clients and – most often – upload forms, marketplaces and print services that accept only JPG or PNG.
When to convert
Keep WEBP if the image is going back onto a website. Convert it when you need to upload it somewhere that rejects WEBP, edit it in an older program or send it to someone who can’t open it:
- Photos → JPG for the smallest file that works everywhere.
- Logos, icons, stickers with a transparent background → WEBP to PNG.
Wondering why your browser saves pictures as WEBP in the first place? Read why images download as WEBP.
Turn WEBP into JPG right here
Drop your WEBP photos here
or
You can also paste an image with Ctrl+V.
Converted on this device. Nothing is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Is WEBP better than JPG?
For websites, usually yes – the same picture needs fewer bytes. For sharing, printing and uploading, JPG is safer because every app and service accepts it.
Is WEBP lossless?
It can be either. WEBP has a lossy mode (like JPG) and a lossless mode (like PNG). You can't tell which from the file extension.
Can WEBP files contain viruses?
A WEBP is an image, not a program. Like any file type, a decoder bug can be a security issue, which is why it's worth keeping your browser and system up to date.
Does converting WEBP to JPG lose quality?
Slightly, because JPG compresses again. At quality 90 you won't normally see it. Convert to PNG if you need an exact copy.