WEBP Format Guide & Converter

WebP (Web Picture format) is a modern raster image format from Google with strong lossy and lossless modes plus alpha, introduced by Google (2010). WebP commonly beats JPEG and PNG on size for web delivery while supporting transparency. Use it for site performance; keep JPG/PNG fallbacks only if you still serve very old browsers.

Full name

WebP (Web Picture format)

Kind

modern raster image

File extension

.webp

MIME type

image/webp

Developer / standard

Google · 2010

Compression

lossy or lossless

Quality model

Lossy and lossless modes

Container

No / single bitstream typical

Common codecs

VP8, VP8L

Technical sources

Google: WebP documentation

Transparency

Supported

Animation

Supported / container can carry motion

Typical size

Often 25–35% smaller than PNG/JPG equivalents

Browser support

All evergreen browsers

Compatibility

Strong in modern browsers; improving in desktop apps

WebP offers lossy and lossless modes derived from VP8/related tech. Lossy WebP often beats JPEG on size; lossless WebP often beats PNG for simple graphics with alpha. Tune quality per asset and verify edges on transparent UI.

Quality: Excellent size/quality trade-off for the web

Typical size: Often 25–35% smaller than PNG/JPG equivalents

WEBP supports transparency (including alpha where the codec/container allows). Keep a format with alpha when you need soft edges or overlays.

WEBP can carry motion or multi-frame content depending on how it was encoded.

Supports EXIF/XMP in many encoders; not every toolchain preserves tags through conversion — verify if provenance matters.

Related tools: image metadata viewer · metadata remover

• Website images
• Transparent web graphics at smaller sizes
• Performance-sensitive galleries
• Replacing heavy PNGs on landing pages

• Print masters
• Editors that cannot open WebP
• Email clients with weak support
• Archival camera originals

• Small files
• Lossy and lossless modes
• Alpha support
• Broad modern browser support

• Some older tools choke
• Not a print standard
• Encode quality settings need a quick eye check
• Less familiar to non-web teams

Strong in modern browsers; improving in desktop apps

Browsers: All evergreen browsers

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Safari
• Squoosh
• Figma (export)

• Modern phones and desktops
• Modern desktops
• Phones and tablets with compatible apps

Open in modern browsers and many image apps. Convert if a legacy editor refuses the file.

Convert to and from JPG/PNG/WebP in Format Convertly privately in-browser to fit each channel’s requirements.

• Pick a target format from popular conversions or the full list below.
• Your file is read into browser memory — not uploaded to a server.
• Download the result when conversion finishes.

Incoming conversions strengthen the WEBP cluster — e.g. JPG → WEBP, PNG → WEBP.

Compare WEBP with related formats to pick the right container for quality, size, and compatibility.

Decision pages that cite WEBP — the next hop after a vs comparison.

Tools extend the format graph beyond one-off conversion — compression, metadata, and utilities for real workflows.

Uploading sensitive WEBP files to a random converter creates a third-party copy you cannot control. Format Convertly keeps processing on-device so photos, contracts, and exports stay private.

• WebP — A new image format for the Web — Google