What Is a WebP File? Format Explained, and How to Convert It to PNG

You downloaded an image from a website, and the file ends in .webp instead of .jpg or .png. Your photo editor will not open it. Your presentation software says “unsupported format.” Now you are wondering: what exactly is a WebP file, and how do you make it usable?

This article explains what WebP is, why it is everywhere now, how it compares to PNG and JPG, and how to convert a WebP file to PNG directly in your browser — no software install, no upload, no account.

What does WebP stand for?

WebP (pronounced “weppy”) is an image format developed by Google. The name comes from “Web” + “Picture.” Google introduced it in 2010 as a way to make images on the web smaller without sacrificing too much visual quality.

The format supports both lossy compression (like JPG) and lossless compression (like PNG), as well as transparency (alpha channel) and animation.

Why are WebP files everywhere now?

Over the past few years, most major browsers — Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera — added native WebP support. At the same time, website owners realized that switching from PNG and JPG to WebP could cut image file sizes by 25–35% with little visible difference.

That is why when you right-click and save an image from many websites today (including Reddit, Google Images, and social media platforms), you get a .webp file instead of a .jpg or .png.

For a deeper look at why this happens and what to do about it, see our article on why images are saving as WebP.

WebP vs PNG vs JPG: how do they compare?

Feature	WebP	PNG	JPG/JPEG
Lossy compression	Yes	No	Yes
Lossless compression	Yes	Yes	No
Transparency (alpha)	Yes	Yes	No
Animation	Yes	No (APNG limited)	No
Typical file size	Smallest	Largest	Medium
Editing software support	Growing, but uneven	Universal	Universal
Browser display	All modern browsers	All browsers	All browsers

Key takeaway: WebP is great for the web. But when you need to edit, print, or share an image outside a browser, PNG or JPG is often easier to work with because more software supports them out of the box.

What programs can open WebP files?

Most modern programs can open WebP now, but support is still uneven:

• Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari (14+), Opera — all display WebP natively.
• macOS: Preview can open WebP since macOS Big Sur (11.0). Older versions need a plugin.
• Windows: The default Photos app opens WebP on Windows 10 (1903+) and Windows 11. Older versions may need the WebP codec from the Microsoft Store.
• Photoshop: Full WebP support was added in Photoshop 23.2 (2022). Older versions need a plugin.
• Other editors: GIMP, Paint.NET, and Affinity Photo support WebP. Some older or niche tools still do not.

If your software cannot open a WebP file, the fastest fix is to convert it to PNG. You can do this in seconds using FreePNGConvert — the conversion happens entirely in your browser, so your file never leaves your device.

How to convert a WebP file to PNG

The simplest method requires no software installation at all:

1. Open freepngconvert.com in any modern browser.
2. Drag your .webp file onto the page, or click to browse.
3. The tool converts the image locally using your browser’s Canvas API — no upload to any server.
4. Click Download to save the resulting .png file.

The entire process takes a few seconds. Your image stays on your device the whole time. For a detailed walkthrough of this method, see our guide on how to convert WebP to PNG online.

Alternative methods

If you prefer other approaches:

• On Windows: Right-click the WebP file → Open with → Paint → Save as PNG. Works on Windows 10+.
• On Mac: Open in Preview (macOS 11+) → File → Export → choose PNG.
• On iPhone: Use Safari to open freepngconvert.com and convert directly. See our iPhone conversion guide.
• On Android: Open the WebP in Chrome, then use a browser-based converter. See our Android conversion guide.
• Command line: ffmpeg -i input.webp output.png or convert input.webp output.png (ImageMagick).

Does converting WebP to PNG lose quality?

No — when the source WebP is lossless, the resulting PNG is pixel-identical. When the source WebP is lossy, the PNG captures exactly what the WebP decoder produced, with no additional degradation.

The PNG file will usually be larger than the WebP, because PNG uses lossless compression exclusively. That is expected and not a sign of quality loss. For more details, see our WebP vs PNG quality comparison.

Does WebP support transparency?

Yes. WebP has full alpha channel support, meaning it can handle transparent backgrounds just like PNG. When you convert a transparent WebP to PNG, the transparency is preserved. For step-by-step instructions, see our guide on WebP to PNG without losing transparency.

Common questions

Is WebP better than PNG?

It depends on the use case. WebP produces smaller files, which makes it better for websites. PNG has wider software support and guarantees lossless output, which makes it better for editing, design assets, and printing.

Can I just rename .webp to .png?

No. Renaming the file extension does not change the actual image data inside the file. The file will still be encoded as WebP, and programs that cannot read WebP will still fail to open it. You need an actual format conversion.

Is WebP safe?

Yes. WebP is a standard image format maintained by Google. It is no more dangerous than JPG or PNG. The format itself cannot execute code. As always, only download files from sources you trust.

Why not just keep using WebP?

If the image is only going to be displayed on a website and everything works, there is no reason to convert. Conversion becomes useful when you need to use the image in software that does not support WebP, or when you need a format with guaranteed lossless quality.

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Last updated: 2026-06-11