What is a WebP file?
WebP is an image format released by Google in 2010 and built on the VP8 video codec. One container offers lossy compression for photographs, lossless compression for graphics, an alpha channel in both modes and animation, covering the roles of JPG, PNG and GIF at the same time. At matching quality a lossy WebP is usually noticeably smaller than a JPG.
All current browsers display WebP, and most operating systems preview it, but many desktop applications, older devices, printing services and some content-management systems still refuse it. That is why WebP is common as a delivery format on websites and rare as a working or archival format.
When WebP is the right choice
Strengths
- Smaller than JPG for photos and than PNG for graphics at similar quality
- Transparency and animation in one format
- Supported by every current browser and by most phones
Limitations
- Rejected by some upload forms, printers and legacy programs
- Lossy mode can soften fine detail, as with JPG
- Limited to 16,383 × 16,383 pixels
How to open a WebP file
Any browser opens WebP, as do Windows Photos, macOS Preview and most current image editors. When an application refuses the file, convert it first: WebP to JPG for photos or WebP to PNG when transparency must be kept.
How to convert a WebP file
WebP to JPG and WebP to PNG make downloaded web images usable in older software; WebP to GIF handles animated files. For a site, JPG to WebP and PNG to WebP shrink the images you upload.