Images
What is WebP?
WebP is an image format made by Google for websites. It supports lossy and lossless compression and transparency in smaller files than JPEG or PNG.
How it works
WebP can compress images in either a lossy mode, competing with JPEG, or a lossless mode, competing with PNG. Both modes support an alpha channel for transparency, and the format can also hold animation.
It can provide compact images for websites while supporting features that JPEG lacks. The best size and quality depend on the image and export settings. A file’s extension alone doesn’t tell you whether it was encoded losslessly.
WebP vs JPEG vs PNG
WebP’s lossy mode is typically 25 to 35 percent smaller than a comparable JPEG, and its lossless mode about 25 percent smaller than PNG. Every modern browser supports it. The friction appears outside the browser: some older photo editors, office software, printers and upload forms still reject it, which is when converting to JPEG or PNG is worthwhile.
A practical example
A product photo with a transparent background can be served as WebP on a website, then converted to PNG for a design tool that doesn’t accept WebP.
What to watch out for
Converting a lossy WebP to PNG doesn’t recover discarded detail. Check the receiving application’s accepted formats before choosing an export.
Tools you can use
- Image Converter · Change an image from one format to another
- Image Compressor · Cut file size with a visible quality trade-off
Go a little deeper
- How to reduce image size without losing visible quality
- Why do images save as WebP instead of JPG?
- Your HEIC file isn’t broken, Windows just can’t read it
- Your photo is too large to email
Common questions
Why do images save as WebP when I download them?
The website serves WebP to browsers that support it because it loads faster. Saving the image keeps that format, even if the page originally uploaded a JPEG or PNG.
How do I convert WebP to JPG or PNG?
Use an image converter. Choose JPG for photos where a smaller file matters, or PNG when the image has transparency or sharp text.
Is WebP better than PNG?
For websites, usually: lossless WebP is typically about a quarter smaller than PNG. For compatibility with older software and upload forms, PNG is still safer.