How to Open a WebP File on Any Device (Browser, Windows, Mac, Phone)

You saved an image from a website, and it ended with .webp instead of .jpg or .png. Now some app on your computer refuses to open it. The good news: a WebP file is just an image, and there are several reliable ways to open it — starting with the browser you are already using.

The fastest option is to open the WebP file in your browser. The tool decodes the image locally on your device, shows it to you, and lets you download a PNG copy without uploading the file anywhere.

What is a WebP file?

WebP is an image format created by Google. Websites use it because WebP files are usually much smaller than JPEG or PNG at a similar visual quality, which makes pages load faster. The trade-off is that some older apps and operating systems do not recognize the format yet. For a deeper background, read what a WebP file is.

A .webp file can be a photo, a graphic with a transparent background, or an animated image. None of that changes how you open it.

Method 1: Open a WebP file in your browser (works everywhere)

Every modern browser can display WebP natively. This is the simplest method and it works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, and Android.

1. Open your browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Opera).
2. Drag the .webp file into a browser tab, or press Ctrl+O / Cmd+O and select the file.
3. The image renders immediately.

If your browser is set as the default image viewer, double-clicking the file does the same thing. This is also the safest option for private or work images, because the file never leaves your machine.

Method 2: Open the WebP and export it as PNG

Sometimes “opening” a WebP is not enough — you need a copy you can drop into a document, a design tool, or a chat that does not accept WebP. In that case, open it with the free WebP viewer and converter:

1. Go to the converter page.
2. Select or drop your .webp file.
3. The browser decodes the image locally and previews it.
4. Download the image as .png.

There is no upload, no account, and no watermark. This is the most practical route when an app on your device cannot read WebP directly, because PNG is accepted almost everywhere. For the conversion-focused version of this workflow, see how to open WebP as PNG.

How to open WebP on Windows

Windows 11 and Windows 10 (recent builds): The default Photos app and the Edge browser open WebP without extra software. If thumbnails do not appear in File Explorer, open the file in Edge or the Photos app directly.

Older Windows 10 and Windows 7: Native support is missing, so the file may show “How do you want to open this file?” Open it in Chrome or Edge instead, or use the browser converter above to produce a PNG. You can also install the free WebP image extensions / codec from the Microsoft Store, but a browser is usually faster.

How to open WebP on Mac

macOS 11 (Big Sur) and later: Preview and Quick Look open WebP natively. Select the file and press Space for Quick Look, or open it in Preview.

Older macOS: Preview will not read WebP. Open the file in Safari, Chrome, or Firefox, or convert it to PNG using the browser tool above.

How to open WebP on iPhone and Android

Both platforms open WebP in their default browsers and photo apps. On Android, Google Photos and the Files app display WebP directly. On iPhone (iOS 14 and later), the Photos app and Safari handle WebP without any extra step. If a specific app on your phone will not accept it, export a PNG first using the browser converter.

How to open WebP in Photoshop, Paint, and other apps

This is the most common frustration, because older versions of popular editors do not support WebP:

• Photoshop: Photoshop 23.2 (February 2022) and later open and save WebP natively. On older versions (including Photoshop CS6), install the free WebP plugin from Google, or open the WebP in a browser and export a PNG first.
• Illustrator and Inkscape: Place a PNG into the document rather than the WebP. Convert the WebP to PNG in your browser, then import.
• CorelDRAW: Recent versions import WebP; older versions need a PNG.
• MS Paint: Classic Paint does not open WebP. Use the browser converter to get a PNG, then open that in Paint.
• Windows Photos: Opens WebP on supported Windows builds; otherwise use Edge.

The pattern is the same: if the app is too old for WebP, hand it a PNG instead.

Why won’t my WebP file open?

• The app predates WebP. The format launched in 2010 but only became common after 2020, so software released before then usually has no decoder.
• The OS is out of date. Updating your OS or browser often adds support automatically.
• The file is actually animated WebP. Some viewers show only the first frame or refuse it; a browser handles animation correctly.
• The download was incomplete or renamed. If the file is corrupted, no viewer will open it — re-download the image.

Can I just rename .webp to .png?

No. Renaming the extension only changes the file name, not the encoded format inside. The file is still WebP data, and apps that read the header will still reject it or render it incorrectly. To get a real PNG, the pixels have to be decoded and re-encoded — which is exactly what the browser converter does locally.

FAQ

Is a WebP file a picture? Yes. WebP is a standard image format, the same category as JPEG and PNG. It is not a virus or a document.

Do I need to download software to open WebP? Usually no — any current browser opens it. You only need extra software if you want to open it inside a specific older editor.

Is WebP lower quality than PNG? Not necessarily. WebP supports both lossy and lossless compression, and it can preserve transparency. The visible image looks the same in most cases; PNG is mainly preferred for editing and maximum compatibility.

Open your WebP file now

For most people, the answer is simple: open the .webp file in a browser to view it, or use the free browser converter to open it and download a PNG that every app can read — without uploading the image to any server.