How to use WebP Converter
- 1Drop in images of any supported format
- 2Set the quality — 85% is a good default
- 3Transparency is preserved, unlike converting to JPG
- 4Compare the sizes before and after
- 5Download the WebP files, or the batch as a ZIP
What WebP Converter does
For most of the web's history you had to choose between two formats with complementary weaknesses. PNG kept transparency and every pixel but was large for photographs. JPG was small for photographs but could not store a transparent pixel at all. Every image decision was a choice between those compromises.
WebP does both jobs. It compresses photographs 25–35% smaller than JPG at matching quality, and it supports an alpha channel like PNG. There is a lossless mode too. Since every current browser reads it, the old trade-off has largely stopped being necessary — which is why WebP is the sensible default for anything going on a web page.
When to use it
- Speeding up a website
- Images are usually the heaviest part of a page. Converting them to WebP is one of the few changes that reliably improves load time without altering the design at all.
- Transparent images that are not enormous
- A cutout that would be a multi-megabyte PNG becomes a fraction of the size while keeping its alpha channel intact.
- Reducing storage across a library
- A batch of photographs converted at 85% quality typically frees a third of the space with no visible difference.
- Email and messaging attachments
- Smaller files send faster and are less likely to hit an attachment cap — as long as the recipient's software reads WebP, which most now does.
WebP Converter settings explained
- Quality
- Defaults to 85%, which is visually indistinguishable from the source for almost any photograph. WebP holds up slightly better than JPEG at low settings, so 70% remains usable where the same JPEG would show artefacts.
- Transparency
- Preserved automatically. A transparent PNG converts to a transparent WebP with no background colour decision to make — which is the main practical advantage over converting to JPG.
- Batch conversion
- Up to 50 files, 100 MB each, 300 MB in total, sharing one quality setting and delivered as a single ZIP.
- Source format
- Anything the browser can decode — JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, AVIF and more. Converting from a lossy source still adds a generation of loss, so convert from originals where you have them.
WebP against what it replaces
| WebP | JPG | PNG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photographs | Smallest | Larger | Much larger |
| Transparency | Yes | No | Yes |
| Text and line art | Good | Poor | Best |
| Browser support | All current | Universal | Universal |
| Older software | Patchy | Universal | Universal |
Limits and what to expect
- Older software — desktop editors, some email clients, systems predating 2020 — may not open WebP.
- Converting from an already-lossy source adds a second generation of loss.
- Animated GIFs lose their animation; only the first frame is converted.
- 50 files per batch, 100 MB each, 300 MB per queue.
- Some upload forms still reject WebP by extension even when they would accept the image.
Troubleshooting
- The recipient cannot open the file
- Browser support is universal now, but desktop software and email clients lag behind. Send JPG or PNG when you do not know what the other person will open it with; WebP is for the web, where support is guaranteed.
- An upload form rejected it
- Many forms filter by file extension rather than by what they can actually handle, and their lists were written before WebP was common. Convert to JPG or PNG for that specific upload.
- The file did not get much smaller
- The source was already efficiently compressed, or it is flat graphics where PNG already does well. WebP's advantage is largest on photographs that were stored at high JPEG quality or as PNG.
- My animated GIF became a still image
- Only the first frame is converted. WebP does support animation, but this tool works on single frames — the animation has to be rebuilt with a video or animation tool.
Your files and your privacy
Decoding and WebP encoding both happen on a canvas inside your browser tab, on your own device. Nothing is uploaded, and batches are zipped locally as well, so even a 50-file queue stays on your machine.
What to use next
FAQ
Is WebP better than JPG?
For the web, yes on both counts that matter: it is 25–35% smaller at equal quality, and it supports transparency, which JPG cannot. JPG's remaining advantage is universal support in older software, which matters when you do not control what will open the file.
Do all browsers support WebP?
Every current browser does — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and their mobile versions. Support outside browsers is patchier: some desktop editors and email clients still cannot open it, which is why JPG remains the safer choice for an attachment.
Does WebP support transparency?
Yes, it has a full alpha channel like PNG. That is what lets it replace both formats — you get PNG's transparency with compression closer to JPG's, so a transparent image no longer has to be large.
What quality should I use?
85% for photographs, which is visually indistinguishable from the source. WebP degrades more gracefully than JPEG, so 70% is still usable where the equivalent JPEG would show visible artefacts — useful when size matters more than perfection.
Should I convert my whole image library?
For images served on a web page, yes — it is a straightforward saving. For originals and archives, keep the source files: converting from a lossy format adds another generation of loss, and you cannot get it back.
Are my images uploaded?
No. Everything happens on a canvas in your browser, with no request to any server.