What Is WebP? The Modern Image Format Explained
If you have ever noticed a file with the extension .webp, you have encountered WebP — a modern image format developed by Google. It is designed to replace both JPG and PNG with a single, more efficient alternative. Here is everything you need to know.
What Is WebP?
WebP is an image format introduced by Google in 2010. It was developed to provide superior lossless and lossy compression for images on the web. The goal was to create a single format that could replace both JPG (for photographs) and PNG (for graphics with transparency) while producing smaller files at equivalent or better visual quality.
The format is based on the VP8 video codec technology, which Google acquired when it bought On2 Technologies in 2010. The same algorithms that make video compression efficient were adapted to compress individual still images — with impressive results.
How Much Smaller Are WebP Files?
According to Google's own benchmarks and independent tests:
- ✓Lossy WebP images are 25–34% smaller than equivalent JPEG images at the same visual quality.
- ✓Lossless WebP images are 26% smaller than equivalent PNG images.
- ✓WebP with alpha channel (transparency) is typically 22% smaller than PNG with alpha.
In practice, the savings vary depending on image content. For photographs with many fine details, the savings are sometimes lower. For smooth images or graphics, they can be higher.
Key Features of WebP
- Lossy compression
- Like JPG, WebP can discard imperceptible pixel data to achieve very small file sizes. More efficient than JPG at the same visual quality.
- Lossless compression
- Like PNG, WebP can store every pixel exactly — no data loss. 26% more efficient than PNG lossless.
- Transparency (alpha channel)
- Unlike JPG, WebP supports full and partial transparency — suitable for logos and icons without a white background.
- Animation
- WebP supports animated images, making it a more efficient replacement for animated GIFs (significantly smaller file sizes).
Browser and Software Support
WebP is now supported by all major browsers:
- Google ChromeVersion 9 (2011)
- FirefoxVersion 65 (January 2019)
- SafariVersion 14 (September 2020)
- Microsoft EdgeVersion 18 (2018, Chromium-based Edge from 2020)
- OperaVersion 11.1 (2011)
Global browser support exceeds 97% as of 2026. The main platforms that still do not support WebP are most email clients (Outlook, Gmail on some clients, Apple Mail), older versions of Internet Explorer, and some legacy document editing applications.
When Should You Use WebP?
Use WebP by default for any image served on a modern website or web application. The only situations where you should avoid WebP are:
- !Images embedded in HTML email newsletters — use JPG or PNG instead.
- !Files uploaded to platforms that do not accept WebP (government portals, job boards, form uploads).
- !Source or archive files in design workflows — keep PNG or TIFF for master files.
- !Images for print — use TIFF, EPS, or high-quality PNG for print-ready files.