WebP Format: Complete Guide to Google's Modern Image Format
WebP is the modern image format that outperforms both JPG and PNG in quality, file size, and features. Here's everything you need to know about WebP and how to adopt it.
Advertisement
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google, first released in 2010 and officially recommended by Google Lighthouse since 2018. It was designed to replace both JPG (for photographs) and PNG (for graphics) with a single format that offers better compression for both. As of 2025, WebP is supported by over 95% of browsers and should be your default web image format.
What Is WebP?
WebP uses a compression algorithm derived from the VP8 video codec (for lossy compression) and a derivative of the PNG compression algorithm (for lossless). This gives it a unique advantage: lossy WebP achieves 25–35% smaller files than equivalent-quality JPG, while lossless WebP achieves 25–35% smaller files than equivalent PNG. WebP also supports animation (replacing GIF) and transparency in both lossy and lossless modes.
WebP vs JPG and PNG
| Property | WebP | JPG | PNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy + Lossless | Lossy only | Lossless only |
| Transparency | Yes (both modes) | No | Yes |
| Animation | Yes | No | No |
| Photo size vs JPG | 25–35% smaller | Baseline | 4–10× larger |
| Graphic size vs PNG | 25–35% smaller | Comparable | Baseline |
| Browser support | 95%+ | Universal | Universal |
| HDR support | No (use AVIF) | No | No |
WebP Browser Support in 2025
WebP is supported by: Chrome (23+, 2012), Firefox (65+, 2019), Edge (18+, 2018), Opera, and Safari (14+, 2020 on macOS and iOS). Coverage is now above 95% of global browser usage. The remaining <5% are primarily older iOS devices (pre-iOS 14), very old Android browsers, and Internet Explorer 11.
Implement WebP with fallback
Use the HTML <picture> element to serve WebP with a JPG/PNG fallback: <picture><source srcset='image.webp' type='image/webp'><img src='image.jpg' alt='...'></picture>. Modern browsers pick WebP; older ones fall back to JPG.
How to Implement WebP on Your Website
- Convert your existing JPG/PNG images to WebP (keep originals as fallbacks)
- Update image references to use <picture> tags with WebP source and JPG/PNG fallback
- If using a CMS (WordPress, Shopify), install a WebP conversion plugin
- Configure server to serve .webp files with Content-Type: image/webp header
- Use Lighthouse to verify WebP adoption and measure size savings
- For Next.js — the built-in Image component handles WebP conversion automatically
Converting Images to WebP
Converting images to WebP is straightforward and free. Our browser-based converter handles PNG to WebP and JPG to WebP conversions instantly without uploading your files to any server. For bulk conversion, upload multiple images and download them all as a ZIP. Quality settings let you control the size-quality tradeoff.
Convert to WebP for free
Convert PNG or JPG images to WebP — browser-based, no sign-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I replace all my JPGs with WebP?
Yes, for web use. WebP offers 25–35% smaller files with equivalent quality. Keep the original JPG as a source file and convert to WebP for web delivery. Maintain a JPG or PNG fallback for browsers without WebP support using the <picture> element.
Can I use WebP images in email?
No — email clients have poor WebP support. Use JPG or PNG for email images. WebP is a web format optimised for browser delivery.
Does WebP support EXIF metadata?
WebP files can contain basic EXIF data, but support is less consistent than in JPG. For professional photography workflows that rely on EXIF (GPS, camera settings, copyright), keep your masters in JPG or TIFF and convert to WebP for web publishing only.