What Is a WebP File (and How Do You Open One)?

What a WebP file actually is

A WebP file (extension .webp) is a raster image saved in a format Google released in 2010 to make web images load faster. It is designed as a single replacement for several older formats: it can do the photographic compression you would normally use JPG for, the transparency and crisp edges you would use PNG for, and the looping animation you would use GIF for. The whole point is smaller files - a WebP is usually 25-35% lighter than a comparable JPG or PNG at similar visual quality, which means pages load quicker and use less data.

Lossy vs lossless, alpha, and animation

WebP comes in two flavours. Lossy WebP throws away some data to shrink photographs, much like JPG, and is ideal for complex images. Lossless WebP keeps every pixel exact, which suits logos, screenshots and line art - similar to PNG but smaller. Crucially, WebP also supports an alpha channel (transparency) in both modes, so you can have a see-through background on a compressed photo, something JPG cannot do. It can store animation too, making it a lighter alternative to animated GIFs. If you only need a flat photo, a WebP to JPG conversion drops the transparency and gives you a universally readable file.

How to open a WebP file

On nearly any up-to-date device you can already open a WebP. Every modern browser - Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari - displays them, so dragging the file into a browser tab is the fastest way to view one. On Windows, the built-in Photos app opens WebP; on macOS, Preview and Finder's Quick Look show them. Most current editors, including Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity and Figma, read and export WebP too. The friction usually appears with older software or some email and document tools that predate the format - if one of those refuses the file, you do not need new software, just a converted copy. Turning it into a PNG with the WebP to PNG converter preserves transparency and works everywhere.

Why you keep running into WebP

WebP is everywhere now because it directly helps Core Web Vitals - the page-speed metrics Google factors into ranking. Lighter images give a faster Largest Contentful Paint, so site owners and content platforms increasingly serve WebP by default. That is why an image you right-click and save from a site often lands on your computer as a .webp instead of a .jpg: it is the optimised version the page sent, not a corrupted file. The downside only shows up offline, when an older editor, printer driver, or document tool refuses the extension. When that happens you do not need new software - convert the saved file with the WebP to JPG converter and keep the standard copy.

Converting WebP to JPG or PNG (and back)

When something will not accept a WebP, conversion takes seconds and you choose the target based on the image. Pick JPG for ordinary photos where small file size matters and you do not need transparency - use the WebP to JPG converter. Pick PNG when the image has a transparent background or sharp graphics you want to keep pixel-perfect - use the WebP to PNG converter. Browse every option, including PDF output, on the image converter hub.

When you should save AS WebP instead

If you publish images yourself - a blog, a store, a portfolio - exporting to WebP is usually the smart move because it shrinks your page weight without a visible quality loss. Have a folder of JPG photos? Batch them through the JPG to WebP converter to cut their size before upload. Working with transparent PNG graphics, like a logo or a cut-out? The PNG to WebP converter keeps the alpha channel while making the file dramatically lighter. Keep your original JPG or PNG as a master copy, and use the WebP version as the one you ship to the web.