What is a WebP file, and how do you open it?
The format many websites now use for their images.
In short
WebP is an image format released by Google in 2010. It can be lossy like JPEG or lossless like PNG, supports transparency and animation, and is usually smaller than both. All current browsers display it, and recent macOS, Windows and iOS open it. If an app refuses it, convert it to JPG or PNG.
Key takeaways
- Lossy or lossless, with transparency and animation.
- Usually smaller than JPEG or PNG at the same quality.
- Convert to JPG or PNG for apps that do not accept it.
Why so many websites use it
Smaller images load faster. Websites serve WebP to browsers that support it — today, all of them — which is why an image saved from a web page often turns out to be a .webp file.
Opening a WebP
- Mac: Preview and Safari open it.
- Windows: the Photos app and any browser open it.
- iPhone: it opens in Safari and Files, and can be saved to Photos.
When it causes trouble
Some online forms, office software and printing services still accept only JPEG or PNG. Convert it: to JPG for a photo, to PNG to keep transparency or for an image you will edit.
Privacy
A WebP can carry metadata like any photo — location, device, editing history. Converting with the tools on this site removes it.
