What is a WebP file?
By Ajiri Ogba · Updated
WebP is an image format created by Google for the web. It makes smaller files than JPG or PNG at similar quality and supports transparency and animation, which is why so many websites serve images as .webp — and why images you save from the web often end up in this format.
What WebP can do
- Lossy compression for photos, usually smaller than an equivalent JPG
- Lossless compression for graphics, usually smaller than an equivalent PNG
- Transparency (alpha channel) in both modes
- Animation, as a lighter alternative to GIF
Where WebP causes problems
All current major browsers display WebP, but some older image editors, office software, print services and upload forms still don't accept it. Converting to PNG (lossless) or JPG (smaller, no transparency) solves that.
Converting WebP on this site
- WebP to PNG: lossless, keeps transparency, larger file
- WebP to JPG: 92% quality, transparent areas become white
- PNG or JPG to WebP: 92% quality, much smaller files for the web
- Animated WebP: only the first frame is converted