What Is a WebP File? A Beginner's Guide
What Is WebP?
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google and released in 2010. It was designed to replace older formats like JPEG and PNG on the web by offering significantly smaller file sizes at the same visual quality — or better quality at the same file size.
The name comes from “Web Picture,” reflecting its primary purpose: making web pages load faster.
Why Did Google Create WebP?
Images are typically the largest contributors to a web page’s total byte size. In 2010, Google engineers noticed that despite advances in web technologies, image formats had barely changed since the 1990s. JPEG had been around since 1992 and PNG since 1996.
WebP was Google’s answer: a format built from the ground up for the modern web, using advanced compression algorithms derived from the VP8 video codec.
How Does WebP Compression Work?
WebP supports two main compression modes:
Lossy compression — similar to JPEG, but more efficient. It discards some image data that the human eye is unlikely to notice. At the same visual quality, WebP lossy files are typically 25–34% smaller than JPEG.
Lossless compression — similar to PNG, but with better algorithms. It preserves every pixel perfectly. WebP lossless files are typically 26% smaller than PNG.
WebP also supports:
- Transparency (alpha channel) — like PNG, but even compressed lossy WebP can have transparency.
- Animation — like GIF, but with much better compression and color support.
Browser Support
WebP is now fully supported by all major browsers:
| Browser | WebP Support |
|---|---|
| Chrome | Since version 23 (2012) |
| Firefox | Since version 65 (2019) |
| Edge | Since version 18 (2018) |
| Safari | Since version 14 (2020) |
| iOS Safari | Since iOS 14 (2020) |
As of 2024, over 97% of web users have a browser that supports WebP. This makes it safe to use as your primary image format.
WebP vs JPEG vs PNG
| Feature | JPEG | PNG | WebP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless | Both |
| Transparency | No | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No | No (APNG rare) | Yes |
| File size | Medium | Large | Smallest |
| Browser support | Universal | Universal | 97%+ |
When Should You Use WebP?
Use WebP for:
- Photos and images on websites and blogs
- Product images in e-commerce
- Any image where file size matters for performance
- Images that need transparency but also good compression
Consider alternatives when:
- You need to support very old browsers (IE 11 or older)
- You’re sending files to print shops or professional editors that may not support WebP
- You’re working with software that hasn’t updated to support WebP
How to Convert Images to WebP
The easiest way is to use a free browser-based tool like Imgora. It converts JPG, PNG, and WebP images entirely in your browser — no upload required, completely private.
For bulk conversion, you can process up to 20 images at once and download them all as a ZIP file.