What is a WebP file?
WebP gives you the same picture in a noticeably smaller file than JPG or PNG, usually a quarter to a third smaller. It handles photos, flat graphics, transparency and short animations, and every current browser shows it. You can convert WebP files here, both into the format and out of it.
Specification
| Full name | WebP |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .webp |
| Media type | image/webp |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode |
| Transparency | Supported |
| Animation | Supported |
| Multiple pages | — |
| Colour depth | 8 bits per channel |
| Size limits | 16383 x 16383 pixels |
| Introduced | 2010 |
| Developed by | |
| Standard | Open |
| Browser support | Every browser, including older ones |
What WebP is used for
- Web images where page weight is a ranking and conversion factor
- Replacing PNG for transparent graphics at a fraction of the size
- Short animations that would otherwise be a bloated GIF
- Responsive image sets served from a CDN
Strengths and limitations
What WebP does well
- Substantially smaller than JPEG and PNG at matching quality
- One format covers photos, flat graphics, transparency and animation
- Now supported by every current browser
Where WebP falls short
- Very large images have to be scaled down before they will save
- Older desktop software and some print workflows still refuse it
- Strongly coloured edges soften a little at smaller file sizes
Convert WebP to
Every target this format can be written out as, each on its own page.
Convert to WebP
Everything that can be turned into a WebP file.
Tools that accept WebP
Questions about WebP
What is a .webp file?
WebP gives you the same picture in a noticeably smaller file than JPG or PNG, usually a quarter to a third smaller. The extension .webp identifies it, and its media type is image/webp.
How do I open a WebP file?
Any current browser will open it directly, so dragging the file into a tab is usually enough. Most operating systems also preview it without extra software.
Is WebP lossy or lossless?
Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode. Check which mode a particular file used before assuming anything about its quality.
What is WebP good for?
Substantially smaller than JPEG and PNG at matching quality. One format covers photos, flat graphics, transparency and animation. Now supported by every current browser. In practice that makes it a good fit for web images where page weight is a ranking and conversion factor, and Replacing PNG for transparent graphics at a fraction of the size.
What are the drawbacks of WebP?
Very large images have to be scaled down before they will save. Older desktop software and some print workflows still refuse it. Strongly coloured edges soften a little at smaller file sizes.