WebP provides superior lossless and lossy compression for images on the web, developed by Google.
Common Uses
Optimizing website images for faster loading
Reducing bandwidth usage for web substance
Creating animated images with better compression than GIF
WebP Transformation FAQ
What is a WebP file?
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WebP is a lossy raster image format. The encoder discards visual information the human eye is less sensitive to in exchange for dramatically smaller file sizes than equivalent lossless formats. Recompressing a WebP repeatedly causes cumulative quality loss, so always edit from a lossless master where possible.
Does re-saving a WebP make it worse every time?
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Yes, and that is the one thing worth knowing about the format. Each save re-runs the lossy encoder over an image that has already been through it, so artefacts compound — visible as blocking around text and haloes on hard edges after a handful of generations. Edit from a lossless master and export to WebP once, at the end, rather than repeatedly opening and re-saving the same file. WebP offers both lossy and lossless modes, with alpha transparency and animation available in either.
Why is so much web content delivered as WebP?
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Because it was designed for exactly that job: small files, fast start, no plugin and no licence to worry about. That makes it excellent at delivery and unremarkable at everything else — editing tools, phone galleries and older devices frequently ignore it. Converting to a general-purpose format is what makes downloaded content usable off the web. WebP is typically 25-35% smaller than an equivalent JPG and far smaller than an animated GIF, with universal browser support since 2020.
Does WebP keep a transparent background?
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Yes — the format stores a real alpha channel, so cut-out logos, product shots and overlays keep their transparency instead of arriving on a white rectangle. Converting to a format without alpha is where it goes wrong: the transparent areas are filled with a solid colour, usually white or black, and there is no way back short of masking the subject again.
Is WebP too new to be widely supported?
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Less so every year, but the gap is real. Software support arrived quickly; hardware support only comes with new devices, and the phone, television or player in front of you may simply predate it. Where it is supported it is measurably better than the format it replaces, which is why it is worth converting into for delivery and worth converting out of for compatibility.
Is camera and location metadata kept when I convert a WebP?
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It is carried across where the target format supports it — camera model, exposure, capture time, and GPS coordinates if the device recorded them. That last one is worth a thought before publishing: a photo straight off a phone can carry the exact location it was taken. Strip the metadata during conversion when the image is going somewhere public.
Is WebP tied to Google?
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It came from Google and is published openly, with a specification anyone can implement and no licence fee attached — which is exactly why browsers adopted it so quickly. Using it does not involve any Google service. Support outside the browser is the real limit: plenty of desktop tools, phone galleries and televisions still do not read it. WebP is Google’s 2010 image format, built from the VP8 keyframe encoder and intended to replace JPG, PNG and GIF at once.
Can I use WebP directly on a web page?
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Yes — every current browser renders it natively, so it needs no fallback copy and no conversion at publish time. The remaining question is weight rather than support: the same picture in a modern web format is frequently a third of the size at the same visible quality, which is worth doing on anything that appears above the fold.
When should I convert WebP to another format?
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Convert WebP to PNG, WebP or TIFF when you need an image with no further lossy compression — for archival, for editing, or when the target medium (print, banner ad, product photo) demands maximum fidelity. WebP is still second-class outside the browser — print workflows, older Office builds and some phone galleries do not accept it.
Will converting WebP reduce image quality?
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When you convert WebP to another lossless format the pixels are preserved exactly. When you convert WebP to a lossy format such as JPG the encoder makes quality-vs-size trade-offs you control via the output quality setting.
