What is WebP? Everything You Need to Know

What is WebP?

WebP is a modern image format developed by Google and released in 2010. It was designed to replace PNG, JPG, and GIF as the standard image format for the web by combining better compression with the same visual quality.

The name "WebP" stands for Web Picture. The format is based on technology from the VP8 video codec, which Google acquired when it bought On2 Technologies in 2010.

How does WebP compression work?

WebP uses two types of compression:

• Lossy WebP uses predictive coding based on the VP8 video codec. It analyzes image blocks and encodes only the differences between adjacent blocks. This is fundamentally more efficient than JPG's DCT-based compression, resulting in smaller files at equivalent quality.
• Lossless WebP uses a variety of techniques including palette images, backwards reference coding, and color cache coding. It produces smaller files than PNG by using more sophisticated compression algorithms.

What can WebP do that JPG and PNG cannot?

• Smaller files than both JPG and PNG — lossy WebP beats JPG by 25–34%; lossless WebP beats PNG by ~26%
• Transparency in lossy mode — JPG has no transparency support at all; PNG supports it but only in lossless mode
• Animation — WebP supports animation like GIF but with far smaller file sizes
• Both lossy and lossless in one format — JPG is lossy only; PNG is lossless only

Browser support

WebP is now supported by all major modern browsers:

• Chrome — since version 9 (2011)
• Firefox — since version 65 (2019)
• Edge — since version 18 (2018)
• Safari — since version 14 (2020, iOS 14)
• Opera — since version 11.1 (2011)

Total browser coverage is over 95% globally as of 2026. WebP is safe to use on virtually any modern website.

Pros of WebP

• Significantly smaller file sizes than PNG and JPG
• Supports transparency (alpha channel)
• Supports animation
• Both lossy and lossless modes available
• Supported by all modern browsers
• Supported by WordPress since version 5.8
• Better quality than JPG at the same file size

Cons of WebP

• Not supported by some older software (Photoshop versions before 2022, older Windows Photo Viewer)
• Not universally accepted by all platforms (some email clients, old CMS systems)
• Slightly slower encoding than JPG (not noticeable for most use cases)
• AVIF is even smaller but WebP has better compatibility

Should you use WebP for your website?

Yes, for almost all website images. The file size savings are significant, browser support is excellent, and the conversion process takes seconds using a free tool. Switching to WebP is one of the easiest ways to improve your page load speed and Google Core Web Vitals score.

How to convert images to WebP for free

PicVerto converts PNG, JPG, and GIF images to WebP directly in your browser. No upload, no account, no software required. Select your files, adjust quality, download WebP.

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