Image format
What is a .webp file?
WebP is an image format created by Google for the web. It works as both a lossy and a lossless format, supports transparency and animation, and produces smaller files than JPG or PNG.
All modern browsers display it. Older editors and some upload forms still reject it, which is the usual reason to convert a WebP to JPG or PNG.
fileclay opens and writes WebP
WebP vs JPG vs PNG
| WebP | JPG | PNG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossy | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | No | Yes |
| Animation | Yes | No | APNG |
| Maximum size | 16,383 px per side | 65,535 px per side | No practical limit |
| Support | All modern browsers | Everywhere | Everywhere |
| Best for | Images on the web | Photos | Graphics, screenshots |
Photo, 1600 × 1067
Screenshot, 1280 × 800
Encoded in Chromium, with JPG and WebP at quality 80. PNG keeps every pixel; the other two discard detail.
When to use WebP
Good for
- Images on a website, where every kilobyte counts
- Photos and graphics with transparency in one format
- Short animations that would be heavy as GIF
Not a good fit
- Print work: printers and print shops expect TIFF, PDF or JPG
- Forms and apps that only accept JPG or PNG
- Very large images: 16,383 px per side is the limit
How to open .webp files
| Platform | App | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Photos | Built in on Windows 11 |
| macOS | Preview | Built in since macOS 11 |
| iPhone, iPad | Photos, Files | Built in since iOS 14 |
| Android | Google Photos | Built in |
| Browsers | Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge | Drag the file into a tab |
| Editors | Photoshop, GIMP | Current versions open it |
Convert WebP files
From WebP
All 23 output formats: .png, .jpg, .bmp, .tif, .tiff, .gif, .tga, .jp2, .j2k, .j2c, .ico, .ppm, .pgm, .pbm, .pam, .qoi, .pcx, .exr, .sgi, .xbm, .jpeg, .pdf, .pptx
Conversions run in your browser. Files aren’t uploaded.
How to identify a .webp file
WebP uses the RIFF container: “RIFF”, four bytes with the size, then “WEBP”.
It’s read here, in your browser. Only the first bytes.
Your file
What comes after
Questions about WebP
Why do images download as WebP?
Websites serve WebP to save bandwidth, even if the original upload was a JPG or PNG.
Is WebP better than JPG?
It produces smaller files at similar quality: 104 KB against 180 KB in our test at quality 80. JPG still opens in more software.
Does WebP support transparency?
Yes, in both lossy and lossless modes. JPG has no transparency.
Is WebP lossless?
It can be either. Each file is encoded one way or the other, and the extension doesn’t tell you which.
Why can’t I upload a WebP file?
Some forms and older apps only accept JPG or PNG. Converting the file solves it.